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NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES

3 3433 07998035 9

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GOSPEL PUBLISHING HOUSE

D. T. BASS, Manacer

54 West 22d street, New York

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

Copyright, 1908, by F. E. MARSH

FRANCIS E. FITCH,

Printer,

47 Broad St., N. Y.

INDEX OF TITLES.

Page.

A Beautiful Life i

A Bed Quilt 2

A Christian : What is He ? 3

A Holy Place, Life and Companionship 4

Aiming for the Goal 4

All and No Compromise 5

All Things Become New 6

Angel in the Marble 7

Appearances the Poinsetta 8

Assurance 9

A Telling Argument 10

Bankrupt 1 1

Beauty and Fragrance 12

Be What You Are. 13

Blessings in Disguise 14

Blessings of the Atonement IS

Borrowing Misery 16

Bright and Burning 17

Business of the Saint 18

Busybodies and How to Cure Them 19

"But God" : 20

Calvary 22

Carefulness 22

Castaway 23

Casting Away the Hindrance , 24

Centralization 25

Chain of Consequent Blessing 26

Childhood of Jesus 28

Children of God 29

Christ Crucified, the Theme of the Preacher 30

Christ Pre-eminent 3i

Christ's Atonement 32

Christ's Blood of Blessing 33

Christ's Cross 34

Christ's Example 35

Christ's Example or In His Steps 35

Christ's Mastership 37

Christ's Purpose in Dying 38

Christ's Substitutionary Death 30

Christ's Verilys 41

Christ the Balm for Every 111 42

i

Page.

Christ the Caretaker 43

Christ the Chiefest 44

Christ the Emancipator From Sin 45

Christ the Fortress 46

Christ the Keeper 48

Christ the Lifter-up 49

Christ the Precious One 50

Christ the Rest Giver 51

Christ the Rise or Fall of All 52

Christ the Sin Bearer 53

Christ the Unchanging One 55

Clouds 56

Commendation's Ministry 56

Concentration 57

Conditions Fulfilled : Blessing Assured 59

Conditions Fulfilled: Blessing Secured 60

Confession of Sin 60

Confidence Toward God 61

Conscience 63

Consciousness of the Divine 64

Contentment 65

Continuance in Prayer 67

Contraband 68

Counting the Cost 69

Crimson Lights 70

Crucifixion with Christ 71

Dead by the Death of Another 72

Dead with Christ 72

Death in the Pot 73

Devices of the Devil 74

Devil, Giving no Place to 75

Difficulties 76

Double Centre TJ

Eflfectiveness of the Holy Spirit 78

Enter in 80

Evidences of Christianity 81

Failure and Success 82

Faith and Works 83

Faithfulness 84

Faith Illustrated and Followed 85

Faith, or Down to my Boots 86

Faith's Simplicity 87

Faith's Storehouse 88

Faith's Towardness 89

Faith's Walk 90

Fasten Your Grips 92

Fear Not, or the Attention of Grace 93

Fellowship with Christ 94

Findings of the Spiritual Life 95

ii

Page.

Flies 96

Forgctf ulness 97

Frankincense 98

Freshness 99

Fruit 100

Fruit Bearing loi

Fulness of Blessing 102

Gain of Godliness 103

Given Up 104

Gladness 105

God-in-ness, the Secret of Godliness 107

God not Hills 109

God's Best no

God's Care iii

Golgotha 113

Good Out of Evil 114

Good Work 115

Greatness of the Lord 116

Hard Places 117

Heart Disease 118

Heart Keeping 1 19

Hell's Defeat 120

Holding On 121

Holy Carelessness 121

How to be Happy 122

Humility 123

Ignorance 124

Ignorance of the Unsaved 125

Imitators 126

Jesus Only 127

Joy-Filled 128

Kept by Christ 128

Kept for Christ 129

Kept Momentarily 130

Kindness 131

Kisses of Love 132

Leaving out the Not 133

Let, Let, Let 134

Life Hooks 13S

Life in Christ 136

Life in Death 137

Life Which is Worth Living 138

Living After Death 139

Living Name, but a Dead Life 139

Located 140

Look Beneath the Surface 141

Love's Action and Attitude 14a

Love's Bands , 143

Love's Endurance 146

iii

Page.

Love's Example 147

Love's Mantle 149

Love's Recognition 150

Love's Sacrifice 151

Loving one Another 152

Marks of Jesus 153

Mastering Difficulties 154

Medicine of Grace 156

Memories of Calvary 157

Mustard 158

Nail Print Blessings 159

Need Supplied 159

Neverslip 161

Obscuring the Light 162

On and off the Rock 163

Opportunity 163

Our Unseen Leader 164

Performing the Promises 165

Pilgrimage 166

Power of God's Word 167

Power of Prayer 169

Power of the Holy Spirit 170

Prayer 171

Prayer's Comprehensiveness 172

Prayers Hindered 173

Prayer the Vent of Need 175

Praying and Paddling 176

Praying with a Reservation 177

Prepared 178

Preserved 180

Preserved by Love 180

Presence of the Lord 181

Presence and Prayer 182

Prevailingness of God's Word 184

Profoundness of the Simple Gospel 186

Prohibition Provokes Opposition 187

Proofs of Conversion 188

Prosperity of Adversity 189

Purchased by Blood 190

Queer Places 191

Redeeming the Time 192

Remember 193

Repentance 194

Rewards 195

Right in his own Eyes 196

Rootage for Foliage 197

Sacrifice 198

Sacrifice 199

Saint's Dependence 200

iv

Page.

Salt 20I

Sanctification, which needs Sanctifying 202

Satan a Devourer 203

Secret of Endurance 204

Seeing His Face 205

Seeingness of the Spiritual 205

Self- Abasement 207

Self-Forgetfulness 208

Self-Holiness 209

Separation means Safety 210

Shewing forth His Excellencies 211

Shining 212

Shining Saints 213

Shut Up and Shut In 214

Siding with God 217

Sinner's Character 217

Sleeping Sickness 218

Slippery Places 220

Sowing and Reaping 220

Sphere of the Saint 221

Spirit's Diversified Operation 224

Spirit's Interpretation 225

Spiritual Radium 226

Staying Power 227

Steps in the Deeper Life 229

Stooping to See 230

Sufficiency of Christ's Atonement 230

Talkative and Company 231

Testing of Trial 232

The Beautiful Christ 234

The Best 235

The Best Robe 236

The Darkness 237

The Fact of Facts 237

The Gospel, a Sea of Crystal 238

The Hands of Christ 239

The Lifting Power 241

The Power of the Gospel 242

The Spread Table 244

Threefold Nature of Man 245

Thoroughness 246

Traits of the Word 247

Transferred 248

Turned and Met 249

Twinkler, Tinkler, Tatler 250

Unamimous 251

Unity 251

Unmovable Things 252

V. D 253

V

Page.

Waiting and Watching for Christ's Return 254

Wakefulness of Jehovah 255

Want of Knowledge 257

Watchfulness of the Lord 258

Wind an Emblem of the Spirit 259

Witness Bearing 261

Word of God, a Light 263

Word of God, Ground of Assurance 264

Word of God, It's Power and Penetration 265

Word of God, versus the Laws of Men 265

Worldiiness 266

Works or the Work 267

Worries . . , 268

VI

TEXTUAL INDEX.

The texts with an asterisk against them are the title texts, and the rest of the texts are found in the Bible Reading which follows the incident.

Genesis

2. 2.

3- 3- 3- 3- 3- 3. 4- A- A- 5- 6.

7- 9- 9- 9- 9- II.

12.

12. 12. 13-

13- 13- 13- 13- 17. 18. 19. 19. 22. 22. 22. 24-

27.

Page.

27 245

7 245

21 198

1-6 76

11-24 83

15* 120

17 268

19 245

24 187

3 268

6, 7 143

15 64

22 9

12 218

I 65

13 14

13 56

15, 16 .... 245

23 150

31 no

1-3 no

10 192

10-20 267

10 142

10-13 97

10-14 Ill

12 192

14, IS .... 109

I* 64

17 206

10, II 150

17 267

2, 9 198

7. 8 208

12 . .

67 -. 18-20

233

198

75

Genesis 27.

28.

29.

37- " 39. " 39. " 39. " 41.

42.

" 44. " 45. " 45. 3- 3- 4. 4. 8. 8.

12.

13.

14-

14.

15.

16.

20.

23. 24. 28.

Exodus

Pagb

22* 68

11, 12 15

II-I5 17

12, 17 117

15 184

18, 19 .... 189

13 133

18-28 198

28 IS

24 115

7 74

20 17

20 122

41 117

36 109

16 63

4-15 ISO

15 133"

I, 2 IS

1-4 189

14-16 Ill

27 133

23 15

24* 96

8. II 167

13 15

8 244

12, 21 167

13-22 77

20 53

21-28 118

II 45

10 56

3 65

15 65

5-10 15

7* 176

Vll

Exodus	32.
	33.
	34-
Leviticus i.
"	2.
«	13.
«	14.
	14.
«	16.
«	17-
**	17-
"	21.
"	23.
"	24.
Number'	> II.
"	II.
«	13.
«	13-
"	15.
"	16.
"	16.
«	16.
«	18.
«	20.
«	21.
«	21.
«	22.
Deuteronomy

Joshua

Pagb

26* 217

14, 15 184

20 65

1-9 247

13 201

4-54 215

1-18 78

14 15

12 103

II* 32

II 246

17-21 62

4-21 78

3. 4 .... 100

8 99

11-17 III

23 244

33 109

39 196

I 25

I 267

22 245

29* 235

II 75

4, 5 ..•• 269

9 173

32 65

5- 15 .-. 193

8. 2* ... 193

8. 3 ... 244

8. 14-18 . 193

II. 2-7 .. 193

11. 12 ... 259

12. 8 196

15. 5* ... 22 27. 8 ... 254 30. 14 ... 254 32. 7-12 . 193 32. 10 ... 44

32. 15 ... 96 33- 3 ... 145

33. 23* ... 102

34. 9 •.. 102 7, 8* 246

13, 14 217

I 215

6-10 174

10 178

20, 21 158

20-25 187

24 64

Pagr Joshua 14. 14 229

Judges

Ruth I " I

23. 14 .

I. 22 . .

4. 18-21

5- 23 .. 11-14 16* . 36-40 17 ..

5 .. 14* .

6 .. 25 ..

6.

7. 14. 14.

17- 21.

. 12

. 21

" 3- i-S ..

I Samuel 2. 8

7

20. 41

21. 9

193 182 74 217 233 264

173 233 115 114 196 196 267 187 208

49 16 5 166 64 96

9, 10

3* . II ... 20 ... 22, 23

22, 23 140

17. 43-50 109

17. 43-50 189

133 263 192

21

10

23. 17 27. I*

• 27. 2 Samuel 9. " II. " 12. " 12.

I . .

7* . 4 •• 7 •• 9-11

19. 30 19. 39

21. 22.

15-17 2* .

" 22. 37* .

I Kings 8. 20 ...

8. 33, 34

" II. 1-6 .

" 13. 9. ..

" 13. 14-22

13. 19 ...

15- 30

17.

17. 17.

I . .

4-6

9-16

208

16

77

131

75

64

188

208

133

109

46

161

166

249

96

249

74

192

158

206

173

118

viii

Page. I Kings i8 74

i& 17 142

18. 17, 18 ..

" 18. 36

" 18. 44

18. 44

" 19. 2

19- 4

" 19. 4

" 19. 5

" 21. 8

21. 20 21. 20

2 Kings

20

64 206 18 56 70

74 192 118 192

17

142

158

I Chron.

2. 20, 21 201

4. 4* 214

4. 33, 35 173

4. 40* 73

5. 2, 3 208

5- 6-14 173

5. 20-27 209

6. 15-17 109

6. 17 206

8. 8-15 ...

17-19 .

II. II. II. 17- 18.

18 .. 9 .. I, 31

29. II* 2 Chron. 6. 10 . 13

14. " 16. 18. " 18. " 30. Nehemiah 3 4 4 4 4 5 6

7 8 8 9

5 .. 7 •• 9* . I . . I . . 6, 9

4 ... 9 ... 9 ...

21, 23'' 16* ..

9 ...

I* .. 10 . . . 10 . . .

2 3* 12, 13

209 198 199 208

253 267 116 166 201

52 258

69

97 249

20 184 176 250 154 154 184 154

27

lOI

207 193

Job 5.

6.

7.

8.

19.

23. 24. 29. 30. 31. 32. 32. 33- 40. 40. 42. Psalms

Esther 9. 24, 25 115

Page

12 166

6 201

20 86

6 142

26, 27 205

10 128

16* 125

20* 99

26 no

4 94

I 196

18 103

4 245

4 61

4 207

10 198

I. I 211

3. 3 49

4- I* 191

5. 3 229

9. 13 49

II. 4 259

16. 8 26

16. 8 112

16. 8 134

16. 8 160

16. 8 258

16. II 27

16. II 46

16. II 55

17. 5 162

17. 5 253

17. 8 171

18. 2 47

18. II* 237

18. 29* 76

18. 35 loi

18. 35 198

18. 48 50

19. 7 266

19. 7, 8 168

19. 10 244

22. 6 61

22. 6 207

22, 16 114

23. I* -^zz

23. 4 167

23. 4 184

2Z. 5* 244

25. 2, 4 171

IX

" 21.
30.
31-
32.
32.
32.
34-
34-
" Zl-
" 37-
" n-
" 37.
'' 2,7-
" 40.
40.
40.
43-
55-
55.
" 56.
" 56.
" 56.
'' 57.
60.
61.
62.
" 63.
" 65.
" 65.
66.
66.
68.
" 69.
71.
73.
" 78.
" 78.
" 78.
" 78.
80.
81.
82.
84.
88.
" 89.
90.
" 90.
" 91.
" 92.

Page

1 161

6 50

I* 49

3 47

5 150

8 259

II* 105

5 no

15 259

7 269

II 206

23 112

23 160

31 ■•• 161

3 7

17* II

17 207

17 164

21 265

8 94

8 112

8 160

2 166

3* 117

3 122

6 253

8 246

4 123

9 102

18 174

18 175

34 S6

23 161

3 47

18* 220

9 178

9 233

18 178

50, 62 105

3, 7. 19 . . . 249

12* 104

5 125

5 122

8* 214

29, 36 147

17* I

17 102

2 47

5 254

Psalma	Q2.
"	93.
"	93.
"	94.
	95.
"	99.
	lOI.
"	103.
*(	103.
«	103.
«	103.
	104.
	104.
	104-
	105-
	105.
	105.
	112.
<t	118.
«	119.
«	119.
*'	119.
	119.
"	119.
	119.
	119.
«	119.
	119.
**	119.
t(	119.
**	119.
«	121.
u	121.
"	121.
«	121.
«	121.
"	121.
'*	123.
**	125.
	139.
"	144-
	144-
«	146.
	147.
Proverbs

Page

10 99

5* 265

5 254

18 161

3* 237

7 56

5 119

I, 2 129

3 20

7 206

13* 142

15 244

16 102

28 240

17-22 189

19 265

39 56

6 253

7 183

2* 167

25. 16s .... 248

29, 30 59

50, 105 .... 265

67 89

105* 263

106 166

114* 88

138 254

140 254

140 266

162* 95

48

130

I* 109

3 253

3. 4* 255

4-8 44

I* 109

1 161

24 172

2 47

15* 122

7* 45

IS ..• 254

3- 6 104

3. 7 196

3- 20 56

4- 13* 92

4. 14* 210

4. 23* 119

Proverbs 4. 22 20

5- 3 265

10- 4 50

12. 3 253

12. 15* 196

14- 23* 231

15- 3 259

17. 17 44

17- 22* 156

22. 12 259

24. 26 133

25. 26 161

28. 9 174

30. 12 196

Song of Sol. I. 2* . . . 132

1. 5 .... 61

;; I. 5 .... 207

2. 3* ... lOI 2. 10 .... 151 2. 16 .... 50

;; 5. 10* ... 44

5. 10* ... 234

5. 13* ... 12

;; 5. 14* ... 239

5. 16 .... 242

8. 5 .... 51

8. 5 .... 154

8. 7 .... 145

8. 14 .... 255

3 218

7 213

7 245

3* 257

5* 217

13* 202

13, 14 140

19* 59

19* 60

19 206

21 197

5 61

5 207

15 244

7 166

9 118

2 92

2 122

3 104

20 80

3* 130

Eccles.

Isaiah

Page. I Pagb

Isaiah 27. 3 44

27- 3 100

" 30. 10* 26s

" 33- 17 205

" 38. 5 264

" 38. 21 173

" 39. 1-6 96

" 40. 22 109

;; 41. I 65

41. 10 184

" 41. 10 242

" 41. 13 94

" 41. 15 136

" 42. I 264

" 42. 4 134

" 42. 6 160

" 43. I 264

" 43. 4 264

" 43. 10* 261

" 44. I, 22 264

" 45. 22 90

" 49. 2 136

" 49. 15 44

" 49. 16 65

" 50. 4 99

" 50. 10 237

" 51. 16 264

" 53. 3 S3

" 53. 5 186

" 53. 10, 1 1 198

" 53. 12 120

" 57. 2 80

" 58. 8 213

" 59. 6 218

" 59. 8 125

" 59. 9* 162

;; 59. 12 54

64. 4 91

" 64. 8 245

" 65. 24 112

" 66. 8 5

" 66. 18 205

Jeremiah i, 7, 8 143

I. 12 166

3. 20-22 143

5. 23 118

8. 22* 42

9. 3 125

" 9. 26 118

15. 16 247

xi

23. 29 23. 29

31.

31- 31. 33-

3 3

i8 14*

" 49. 16* Lament. 3. 24 40* 6 19 2. 25

Page

Jeremiah 16. 19 47

17. 9 118

" 17 0 218

... 168

... 265

... 55

... 145

... 143

... 165

... 118

... 86

... 249

... 250

... 119

... 166

... 182

. . . 229

... 80 5

... 217

... 121

... 115

. . . 122

... 15

... 204

4. 30-36 210

Ezekiel 8. " II.

30

Daniel

34-

41. 7* .

44. 16* .

47. 9-II

3- 1-25

3. 16* . .

3. 21 ...

3. 21 . . .

3- 25 . . ,

3- 25

5. 22, 23

6. 16 ..

Hosea 11. " II.

13.

14. Amos 3. 10

" 9. 9 6

17 8 12

4 4* 9 9

Jonah «

Micah

3. 4.

7. 19" " 7. 20

Nahum i " I

Haggai i Zechariah 10. 13. Malachi 2. 3. 3. 3. 3.

3* . 7 .. 9 ..

5' 6 4-6

2 . 3* .

3 •• 6 .

64 122 129 143 143

53 125 7 219 192 102 125 249 166

56

92 no 181

151

206

213

7

53

55

Malachi 3. 3. 3. 4.

Matthew i. 3- 3. 3. 3- 3- J.

;; ^•

4-

4.

4-

4.

5-

5.

5-

5.

6.

7-

7.

8.

Page.

16 94

16 112

16 160

1-6 53

23 226

8 84

13-17 78

15 36

15 227

16 36

16 74

16 169

I 36

I 74

II 77

II 118

20 19

8 12

8 157

8 205

8 206

13* 201

15 162

16* 212

16* 213

18* 41

44-48 126

2, 5, 16 .. 42

6 80

6 216

25* 268

30, 33 160

31 269

33 8

33 26

33 104

34 66

3 162

4 18

5 20

6 211

7 95

16 81

21 177

26 140

3 240

8, 13 88

10 42

10 87

10 235

xil

Matthew 9.

9.

9. 10. 10. 10. 10. 10.

II. II. II. II. II. II. II. II. II. II. II. II.

12. 12. 12. 13. 13. 13. 13. 14. 14. 14. 14. 14. 14. 15.

IS. 15.

15.

IS- IS. IS.

16. 16. 16. 16. 16. 16. 17.

2, 6

12 .. .

22 ,. ,

28, 29

36 ...

Pagb

. 225

15, 23, 42

25

30

39

II

247 88

144 42 66

94

160

96

42

51

43

90

78

I

52

60

96

124

138

154

88

138

140

20,3

188

42

219

70

144

256

171

269

30, 31 240

28 ..

28 ... 28, 29

29 .. 29 ... 29 ... 29 ... 29 .. 29 ..

29 ..

13 -• 28 .. SO ..

4 •• 15* .

17 ..

25 ..

3-10

14 .. 27 ..

30 .. 30 ..

14 ...

19 ...

25* .. 26-28

28 ...

32 ...

8 ...

16, 17

22 . . .

24 ...

25, 26

28 ...

2 . . .

162

119

171

88

87

224

233 144 233 235 142

19 245

42 212

Matthew 17. 17. 17. 17. 17. 18. 18. 18.

Mark

2

5

8* ....

20

3, 13, i{

19

23, 28

Pagb

. 213

. 127

. 56

. 127 42

. 188

• 42

. 251

. 42

19.

19. 28 217

20. 28

21. 21, 31 21. 30 . .

4 •• 8* .

22. 23-

23. 14

40

42

140

179

37

203

23. 36 42

143

42

219

42

25. 20-23 221

23- 37

24. 2, 34, 47 25- 5

25. 12, 40, 45

27. 28. 28.

21

21, 23 . . . .

21-23

36

13, 21, 34 26. 25, 49 . . . .

26. 28*

26. 35, 69-75 26. 40, 43, 45 27- 3-S

24

10

20

I. 15

I. 31

I. 41

1. 45

2. 7

3. s ...

3- 21 . . .

4. 19 . . .

4. 21 . . .

4. 38 ...

4- 39 ...

5. 15 •••

5- 19 ••• 5- 27, 28 S. 29-34

24

85

195

100

42

37

39

75

219

64

234

184

198

194

49

144

20

92

142

269

162

17 248

12 144

173 90

XIU

Luke

Mark 5. 6. 6. 8. 9-

" 9.

" 9. 9-

" 10.

" 10. 10.

" II.

" 12.

" 13.

" 14.

" 15-

" 15. 16. I. I. I. I. I. I. 2. 2. 2. 2. 3'- 3- 4. 4- 4. 4- 5- 5- 5- 5. 5- 5. 5- 7- 7- 7-

Page.

43 247

6 92

12 192

23 240

3, 4 169

23 91

27 50

50 201

16 241

50* 24

52 262

22 87

25 178

24 126

37 255

33-37 74

22, 34 226

32 26

14 119

17* 178

35 260

40 230

52 124

55 260

68-72 166

4 230

32 213

34* 52

43* 28

14 104

20 215

13, 14 36

18 43

29 36

32-36 168

I 266

5 37

7 251

8 61

8 207

8 230

37 146

13 144

13 256

15 II

Zl II

37-50 12

39 36

42 20

47 12

Luke 7.

7- 8. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8.

8. 8. 9- 9- 9. 9- 9- 9- 9- 9- 9- 9.

10.

TO. 10. 10. 10. 10. ID. 10. II. 12. 12. 12. 13- 13- 13. 14. 14. 14. 14. 14. 15.

15- 15. IS. 15. 15.

Page

48 225

48 247

2 12

3 236

14 25

15 27

15 228

22-25 256

24 37

29 248

35 20

38 95

39* 211

'22i^ 208

23 3

23 23

31 227

31-33 Ill

Z2 95

2)2 219

2,Z Zl

46-56 75

50 217

20 106

25 38

34 100

34 150

38, 40 235

39* 230

39-42 Ill

41 269

42 134

22 120

7* 93

7 112

2>7 194

3, 5 194

13 II

13 241

9 19

13 100

26, 27, 53 ■••. 247

28* 69

34 201

2 182

7, 10 194

20 133

21 61

22* 236

23 244

XIV

Luke IS.

" 15.

" 15-

" 16.

" 17.

'• 18.

*' 18.

" 18.

" 19.

" 19-

" 19.

" 19-

" 19.

" 20.

" 22.

" 23.

" 23-

" 23.

" 24.

24 30 32 10 15 14

Pagb

. 145 . 203

. 100

. 85

21

.... 175

12

171

.... 192

.... 88

230

189

.... 43

.... 37

221

85

.... 195

124

.... 253

.... 53

.... 95

31, 32 143

13 .. 13 •• 2-10

5 •■ 5-9

6 ..

8 ..

9 .. 16 .. 16, 17

17

42*

48*

18

14

17

33 33

69 220

41-43 169

43 ... 43 ... 46 ... 49 ... 56-62 54-62 63 ... 33* .. 33* .. 34 ...

42 ... 42, 43

43 ... 15, 34 16 ... 16 ... 26 ... 26 ... 26 ... 26 ... 29* . . 29, 32 34 •..

36 237 219

18 192 267 146

22 157 238 172

88

145 256

125 126 36 115 189

237 182 180 238

Luke 24.

" 24. " 24. " 24. " 24. John I.

i'. 1. I.

Page

38 119

46, 47 158

46, 47 194

49 27

49 60

12 so

12 90

12, 13 30

14 II

14 223

26 I2S

29, 36 154

37 19

38, 41, 42 226

43 262

51 26

1-16 12

4 225

8* 259

14 39

14-16 157

36 3

36 50

36 53

36 222

14 127

14 239

15 225

29 262

50* 87

24* 9

24* 248

24 50

24 134

25 21

25 164

35* 17

35 212

35 213

9 18

29 268

35 127

51 244

54 167

63 2

21 61

24* 8

24* 141

37-39 78

46 234

XV

John 7.

" 7-

" 8.

" 9.

" 10.

** 10.

" II.

" 12.

" 13.

" 13-

" 13.

" 14.

" 14-

46 ..

56 .

12 ..

31 ..

31 ••

31 ..

32 .. 25 ..

3 • •

4 .. 9* .

9 ..

9-29

10 . .

15 ..

27 ..

28 .. 28 ..

Page.

. 236

. 205

. 134

. 82

. 140

- 156

. 177

. 168 10

. 94

. 127

. 80

. 96

• 137

. 43

. 230

. 50

. 90

. 154

. 181

28 241

39-42 2>6

5, 36 35, 43. 44

40

43

3

24

145 118

26 248 235

39 24, 25 231

24-26 24-26

25 .. 26* .

26 ..

I 13, 14

36

138

25

35

19

145

181

234

38

14, 34 126

14, 34

15, 34* ....

23

27

34

34*

35

2, 3

6

149

35

139

140

7 152 153 251 179 127

John 14.

" 14.

" 14-

" 14.

" 15.

" IS.

" 15.

" 15-

" 15.

'' 15.

" 15.

" 15-

" 15.

" 15-

" 15.

" 15-

" 15.

" 15-

" 15.

" 16.

'' 17-

" 17.

" 17-

Page

6 222

8 66

8* 230

13 178

15 81

16 I

16* 2

21 3

21 60

21 177

27 102

27 242

2 8

2 233

4 3

4, 5 46

4, 5 ^77

5 81

5 136

5* 200

5 217

5^27 14

7 60

9 163

9 180

10, II 123

II 27

II 103

II 129

II 242

12, 17 153

14* 13

18 36

21 126

26 170

10-22 205

13 2

24 103

26 I

33 36

33 165

3 222

4 I

4 234

17 10

17 89

17 102

17 129

17 145

17 168

xvi

John 17. 17. " 17- " 17. " 19. " 19. " 19. " 19. " 19. " 19. " 20. " 20. " 20. " 20. " 20. •* 20. " 20. " 20. " 20. " 20. " 20. " 21. " 21. " 21. Acts I. " I. " I. " I.

I. " I. " I. " I.

I.

I. " 2. " 2. " 2. " 2. " 2. " 2. " 2.

2. " 3.

3-

" 3.

4. " 4.

17 ...

18 ...,

19 ... 24 .. II* .. 13-17 17* .. 18 ... 26 ... 30 ••

I ... II, 12 19-22 19-26

20 . ..

20 . . . 20, 21

21 ... 2.2 ... 25* .. 29 ...

6 ...

15-19 22* ..

4 ...

5 ... 8 ... 8 ...

8* ..

14 .... 14 .... 14 ....

14 ....

1

2

22 . . , 2>Z'' • • ■ 36, yj . 38 .... 46 ...

4-6 .

7,8. 13-19

15 ... 17 ... 18, 19

4 ...

Pack

. 180

. 35

. 200

. 163

. 14

. 36

. 113

. 122

. 236

. 268

.' 229

. 230

. 78

. 216

. 102

. 107

. 186

. 201

. 261

. 159

. 26

. 96

. 248

. 18

. 59

. 260 3

. 136

. 170

. 262

. -27

. (^1

. 176

. 251

. 176

. . 227

. . 261

. . 254

.. 77

.. 31

.. 194

.. 67

.. no

.. 185

. . 31

.. 86

.. 125

.. 194

.. 263

Acts

4. 4. 4- 4. 4. 4.

4- 4- 5. 5- 5- 5- 5- 5- 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 7. 7- 7- 7. 7. 7- 8. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8. 8. 9. 9- 9. 9. 9. 10. 10. 10. II. II. II. II. II. 12. 12. 12. 12.

Fagb

13 95

31 27

31 89

31 169

31 170

32 251

33 116

36 226

i-io 209

4 106

29-31 31

33 265

36 158

41 27

I 100

5 87

5 139

8 102

8, 10 2

9 21

42 105

56 171

56 205

56 256

60 70

5-8 185

14 263

18-22 142

33 124

35 263

39 106

39 185

39 262

4 106

5 225

18 12

36-42 139

39 100

31 27

38 234

39-44 31

18 194

21 182

23 107

24 2

24 87

2, 4 122

3,4 77

5 27

5 176

xvii

Acts	12.
«	13.
	13-
	13-
«	13.
«	13.
	14.
«	15.
((	15.
((	15.
«	16.
«	16.
«	16.
«	16.
((	16.
«	16.
«	16.
"	16.
"	16.
«	17-
	17.
«	17.
"	t8.
«	18.
ti	19.
«	19.
	19.
	19.
	19.
	19.
	20.
«	20.
	20.
	20.
<(	20.
	20.
	20.
«	20.
♦*	21.
"	24.
"	26.
«	26.
"	26.
"	26.
«	26.
«	28.
Romans

Page.

7-12 169

3 27

12,46-48 185

38,39 30* .. 52 ... 27 ... 4 ... 26 ... 26 ... 14 ...

Romans

31

20

27

182

198

208

185

14, 29, 30 224

15 ... 23 ... 23 ... 25 ...

30 ...

31 ..

32 ... 6 ..

30 .. 30 .. II .. 30 .. 18-20 19

85

70

122

27

32

268

263

142

164

194 263

185 188

19, 20 263

184

89

266

124

89

194

31

10

145

263

27

63

215

224

194 18

20*

20

19

21*

21

28

32

36

5

16*

10

18

20

24, 25

24, 25 142

8

I. 8

I. 16*

27

57 186 236 238

Page

I. 16* 241

I. 16* 242

1. 24, 26, 28. . . 105

2. 4 194

2. 5 119

2. 7* 227

3. 12* 60

3. 13 218

3- 19 164

3- 24 20

3. 24, 25 78

3. 25 22

3. 25 152

4. 5* 267

4. 20 87

4- 25 200

5. 2 129

5. 3 27

5. 3 228

5. 5 145

5. 8 33

5- 9 f

5. 9, II, 12, 19 83

5. II ^

5. II 108

5- II 229

5. II 262

6. 1-13 16

6. 2, 7 73

6. 3 257

6. 4 7

6. 4 262

6. 6 71

6. 6 246

6. 7, II 72

6. 8 95

6. 10, 1 1 33

6. II 38

6. II 75

6. II 247

6. 12, 13 245

6. 13 157

6. 13 202

6. 14 134

6. 14 238

6. 16 257

6. 17 8

6. 17 40

6. 17 189

6. 22* 100

XVlll

Romans 6.

6.

6. " 7. " 7. " 7. " 7.

/• " 7. " 7. " 7. " 7.

8.

8. " 9. " 9. « 10. " lO. " 10. " 10.

" II. " II.

« 12.

" 12.

" 13.

Pack

22 145

^Z 24

23 222

4* 72

4 7Z

6 26

9* 187

14 61

14 207

15-21 188

18 166

18 262

1 51

I, 2 138

2 21

2 170

2 222

6* 206

7 83

7 218

9 180

14 167

16, 17 30

17, 18 36

26 174

26 201

28 109

28 112

32 44

34 2,2,

16 261

21 86

3 125

4 145

II 134

17 26

32 215

33 45

I 199

I 201

I 202

1 247

2 220

5, ID, 16... 251

10 132

10, 15 23

11 192

8 153

8 252

Pact?

Romans 13

13 13 13

14

" 14

'' 14

14

" 14 15 15 15

" 15 15 15

" 15

15. 29

15- 30

I Corinthians i.

14

2=* 2

7 8

9*

9 13 18 18 23* 23* 24 24 30 30 30 30

2

9

9-14 10 .

10 .

11 . II .

I .

6 . II . 12-15

15 16 2

XIX

Page.

I Corinthians 4.	9-13 .	. 36
ti	4-	IS ....	243
t(	5.	5 .-••	ISO
K	5.	6 ....	2S7
«	5.	7 ....	15
<(	5.	7 ....	202
"	5.	7 ....	244
"	6.	2, 3 .	257
({	6.	II	188
"	6.	15, 19	259
"	6.	19, 20.	41
«	6.	20	22
H	6.	20	129
"	6.	20	191
«	7-	15 ---•	223
'*	7.	23* ...	. 190
"	9.	22	26
"	9.	24 ....	5
a	9.	25 ....	193
«	9.	27 ....	3
«	9-	27"^ ...	23
«	10.	13 ....	I6S
<<	10.	16 ....	33
«	10.	16 ....	70
«	10.	31 ....	203
«	II.	2* ...	S6
"	12.	6* ...	78
«	12.	6* ...	224
((	12.	8-10*	225
«	12.	II	179
«	12.	12	163
«	12.	12, 13..	2
«	12.	24 ....	21
t'	12.	31* ...	no
«	13.	7* ...	146
«	14.	2>2> ....	226
«	IS-	I	22
a	IS.	2	121
«	IS.	3 ....	. 54
«	IS-	3 ••-	IS2
«	IS-	22* ...	82
<«	IS.	58 ....	100
II Corinthians i.	20	. S5
«	I.	24 ....	224
«	2.	7,8...	. 150
«	2.	II* ...	. 74
<(	2.	II	7(>
«	3.	2* ...	. 81
<<	3.	2	. 136

		Pack
II Corinthians 3.	17 ....	. 238
3-	18 ....	60
3-	18 ....	248
4.	4 ...	213
4-	4 ....	218
4.	4 ....	243
4.	17 ....	128
4-	16 ....	100
4-	17, 18. .	26
4-	18 ....	8
S-	7 ....	26
5.	7* ...	90
s.	9, 14. .	157
5.	10 —	24S
5-	14 ....	I
S-	14 ....	41
;; 5.	14 ....	70
s-	14 ....	129
5.	14 ....	146
5-	14* ...	iSi
5-	14, IS-.	34
5.	14, IS-.	IS9
5.	14, 15..	231
s.	14-16 .	33
5.	14-16 .	186
s-	14-17 .	239
S-	IS* ...	38
!! 5-	15 ....	16
S-	17* ...	6
s-	17 ....	141
5-	20	. 136
S-	21	129
s.	21	. 163
6.	I	IS4
6.	2* ...	. 163
6.	9	36
6.	10* ...	189
6.	14, 17-.	. 210
6.	IS ....	85
6.	17 ....	26
6.	17 ....	. 147
6.	17 ...	167
6.	17 ....	. 202
6.	17 ...	247
6.	17* ...	266
6.	17, 18..	. 60
7.	I	6
7.	I . .. .	20
8.	9 ....	. 83

XX

Page

II CorinthiansS. g .... 234

8. II 166

" 8. 24 211

9. 8 45

9. 8 116

9. 8 145

9. 8 223

" 10. 6 227

10. 10 18

11. 3 76

" II. 20 203

11. 33 17

" 12. 2 17

" 12. 2-4 ... 206

12. 7* .... 14 12. 7 74

" 12. 7 76

12. 7 "5

12. 7-9 ••• 143

12. 7-9 ... 233

12. 8 36

12. 8, 9 .. 86

12. 8, 9 .. 189

12. 9 36

" 12. 9 66

12. 9 77

" 12. 9 lOI

" 12. 9 129

12. 9 180

" 12. 9 204

" 12. 9 223

12. 9 237

12. 9 239

15. 7, 14 . . 252

Galatians i. 4 54

1. 4 159

2. 8 79

" 2. 20 3

" 2. 20 21

" 2. 20* 31

" 2. 20 34

" 2. 20 36

" 2. 20 70

" 2. 20 71

" 2. 20 72

" 2. 20 73

" 2. 20 144

" 2. 20 157

" 2. 20 159

Galatians 2

Ephesians

Pag«

20 199

2. 20 224

3. 13 157

3. 14 83

3. 22 83

3- 22, 25 215

5. I 83

5. 6 87

5. 7 87

5. 13 26

5. 13 223

5. 15 203

5. 16 141

5- 22 2

5. 22 27

5- 22 84

5- 22 132

5. 22-25 262

5. 24 71

5- 24 72

5. 24 73

5- 25 250

6. 2 251

6. 5, 7* 220

6. 9 156

6. 10 23

6. 14 35

6. 14 71

6. 14 72

6. 14 157

6. 17 106

6. 17* 153

I. I* 140

I. 3 145

I. 7 16

I. 7 20

I. 7 22

I. 13 78

I. 13 129

I. 13 243

I. 13, 14 244

I. 13, 17, 19, 260

I. 15 224

I, 17, 18 .... 59

1. 19, 20 .... 79

2. I 246

2, 2, 12, 13. 83

2. 4 116

2. 4, 5 21

XXI

Galatiaiis

Page

2. 6 163

2. 7 46

2. 7 132

2. 7 145

2. 8 24

2. 8 223

2. 10 82

2. 13 158

2. 16 34

2. 16 114

2. 18 138

3- () 243

3. 8, 19 .... 45

3. 16 170

3. 16, 17 .... 59

3- 17 197

3. 19* 226

3- 20 79

4- 1-4 223

4- 2 124

4. 8 120

4- 15* 197

4. 18 218

4. 19 122

4- 27* 75

4- 30 181

4. 30 260

4. 31 6

4- 32 12

4. 32 126

4- 32 149

5- I* 126

5. 2 154

5- 2 199

5- 2, 8 30

5. 2, 25 .... 144

5- 3 119

5. 14* 218

5- 15 157

5. 16* 192

5. 18* 137

5. 18 2

5. 18 78

5- 18 202

6. 10 242

6. 10, II ... 200

6. 10-16 145

6. II 60

6. II 7^

Galatians 6.

6.

6. " . 6 Philippians

Pag«

14, 15 .... 167

15 179

15 243

17 263

18 138

18 156

18 176

21 85

3, 6, 19. 57

6 116

6 166

II 197

19 171

27* 251

1-4 .... 171

3 251

3, 8 .... 124

4 23

4* 251

5* 4

5 135

5-8 .... 16

5-8 .... 35

5-8 .... 38

8 70

9 34

12, 13 ... 223

13 79

13 261

15 30

15 212

16 10

17* 199

I 141

7-14 ... 139

8-12 ... 4

8-14* .. 57

9* 4

9 32

10 186

13 246

14* 5

14 156

18* 34

19 25

20 3

20 154

20* 254

20, 21 .. . 46

xxii

Page.

Philippians	3-	20, 21 ..	. 129	Colossians	2.	15	. . . .	. 120
"		20, 21 ..	. 223	*'	2.	15	. 165
"		21	. 124	((	2.	20	22
"		21	. 151	«	2.	20	• l^
"		21	. 248	"	2.	20	. 83
(I		5	. 238	"	3.	I, 2* .	.. 25
«		6* ....	. 172	"	3.	2	9
«		6	. 176	"	3.	2	. 211
a		6, 7 •••	. 52	"	3-	3* ..••	4
«		6,7 ...	. 59	"	3-	3	. 44
"		7	• 45	"	3-	3* ...	. 72
«		7	. 129	"	3-	3 ....	. 108
«		7	. 141		3.	3 ....	. 128
«		II	. 27	«	3.	3 ....	. 181
"		II	. 104		3-	3, 4 ..	. 95
((		II	. 107	«	3.	3, 9 ••	. 73
"		12	. 124	i(	3-	4 ....	. 95
i<		12, 13 ..	. 239	«	3.	4		. 129
"		13	. 138	((	3-	4		. 222
"		i8	. 145	a	3-	8		6
"		19	. 94	(<	3.	II		. 32
(I		19	. 113	"	3-	II		. 43
tc		19	. 122	"	3.	12		. 124
«		19	. 128	«	3-	12		. 132
«		19* ....	. 159	((	3-	12	. . . .	• 157
((		19	. 227	<(	3-	15		. 180
Colossians		4	. 57	"	3-	15, 10 .	. 135
«		7		<(	3-	16* ...	.. 247
((		8	138	"	3-	23 ....	.. 245
«(		10	'. 116	*'	4-	2* ...	. 67
«		II	. 27	((	4.	6 ....	.. 81
«		II	. 229	"	4-	6 ....	. . 135
«		13	. 180	"	4.	6 ....	. 201
«		13	. 248	"	4.	6 ....	.. 223
M		20	. 16	<c	4-	7, 9 ..	• • 85
«		20	34	«	4-	12	. . 139
«		20	. 128	11	4-	12	. 169
((		20	. 158	"	4-	12	.. 227
«		20	. 159	"	4-	14 ....	.. 267
«		20	. 231	I Thessalonians	I. I*	. . 107
((		21	. 189	«		I. 3 .	.. 57
<(		23	. 243	((		I. 3 •	.. 224
<(		24	. 106	«		I. 5 .	.. 138
((		29	. 79	«		I. 6 .	.. 89
it		10	. 227	«		I. 8*	10
((		12, 13 ..	. 46	«		I. 8*	.. 86
«		14	34	((		I. 9 .	•• h
«		14	. 152	((		I. 9 .	.. 188
U		14. 15 .	. 157	"			9 .	.. 211

XXlll

Page

I Thessalonians

II Thess.

2, 2,

2,

3

4- 4 4 4. 4- 4- 4- 4- 5- 5- 5. 5. 5.

s.

5- 5. 5- 6-8

17 . 3 .

9, 10.

9, lo. 10 ... 10 . ..

2, 3.-

13 ..• I3 ..• 12 . ..

9 ... 13-18 .

14 ... 14 ... 14 ...

16 ...

17 ... 17 ...

6, 7.. 10 ... 10 ... 17* .. 21 ...

21 ...

22 . .. 23* .. 23, 24

3. II' 3. II

I Timothy

12 .

13 . 16 .

6 .

7 . II . 10 .

4 .

5 ■ 10 ,

13* 13 .

6*

8

9

6. 10

II

25

40

186

255

108

10

79

153

237

33

152

159

38

95

151

219

33

95

250

93

121

6

245

247

53 116 238

19 232

85 189 212 220

76

85 108

13 26

108

116 19

232 65

103 66 25

119

Pagr

I Timothy 6. 10 220

" 6. 12, 19 222

6. 15 86

" 6. 17 108

6. 19* 138

II Timothy i. i, 9, lo-- 222 4 57

12* 128

12* 150

12 201

13 93

13 223

16 13

" 2. I 141

2. I 197

*' 2. I 223

" 2. I 242

2. 2 85

'* 2. 3 204

2. 3, 10 .... 147

" 2. 12 36

" 2. 15 26

2. 15 192

'* 2. 15 212

2. 17, 18 .... 158

2. 21 8

2. 21 37

" 2. 21* 115

2. 21* 135

" 2. 21 179

" 3. 2 220

3. 2 232

3. 12, 15 .... 224 " 4. 4 218

4. 5 147

4- 5 204

4- 8 255

4- 10 25

" 4. 10 96

4. 10 267

4- 14* 158

4. 16 70

" 4- 16 237

Titus I. 9 93

1. 10 232

2. 2 229

2. II 223

2. 11-13 81

2. 13, 14 159

XXIV

Titus 2. 14 " 2. 14 " 2. 14 " 3. I " 3. 4 " 3. 8 Philemon 20 " 22 Hebrews i. 2. 2. 2. 2. X

2.

*• 2. 2. 2.

" 2. 3. 3- 3. 3. 3. 4. 4- 4. 4- 4- 4. 4- 4. 4- 4. 4. 5. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 6. 7. 7. 7- 7- 8. 9.

Page

6

193

231

116

132

108

27

57

3 54

3 116

9 15

9-11 36

10, 14* .... 164

14 16

14 51

14 73

14 120

14 159

14, 15 269

2 85

6 121

TI Ill

12 119

15 164

3 52

3 80

4* 121

II 156

11 192

12 10

12 248

12 265

14 117

14* 121

16 96

7 15

I 135

II 26

11 212

15 147

15 205

18 10

1,2 226

25 55

26 I

26 234

13 7

12 152

14 26

26* 198

Hebrews 9. 9. 9. 9. 9- " 10.

10.

10. " 10.

10.

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XXV

Hebrews 13

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XXVll

I John

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XXVlll

Introduction.

Pearls, Points and Parables speak for themselves. The plan of this volume is to give a title as a foundation, then a text as a door of entrance to the subject, then an incident as suggesting the outline of the house of thought, then a Bible Reading as separate rooms to visit, then a pearl of thought as unfolding the view to be seen by the out-looker.

The purpose of the book is to help the busy worker for Christ. The Christ is the Wheat of God's Word, which is wrapped up in the package of sug- gestion and outline, that the grain may be ground in the mill of the individual's meditation, and then the flour of result to be passed on, that cakes of truth may be baked for the benefit of others.

A double index will be found. An index of titles, and also an index of texts. The starred texts are the founda- tion passages of Scripture and the rest of the texts are found in the body of the Bible Reading.

F. E. MARSH. New York, 1908.

Pearls, Points and Parables.

A Beautiful Life.

"The beauty of the Lord our God be upon us" (Psalm xc:i7).

"It is said a distinguished artist was once employed to paint the hkeness of an empress. She was far from beau- tiful, and yet he was expected to make a beautiful portrait. He visited all parts of the empire, and took the portraits of all the beautiful women in the different cities, and made a composite picture from them. By an exquisite touch of art he put into the composite picture the expression of the countenance of the empress. It was the countenance of the empress, but there were also the features of the princesses of the land."

As the likeness of the empress was beautified by the beauties of the land, so Christ, in all His beauty, should be seen in us.

His compassionate love will cause us to be compassionate in heart (2 Cor. v:i4);

His patient endurance will enable us to patiently endure (Heb. xii:3) ;

His meek spirit will make us meek in spirit (Matt, xi 129) ; His holy walk will prompt us to walk in holiness (i Pet. i:i5);

His faithfulness in service will inspire us to be faithful too (John xvii 14) ;

His prayerful dependence will lead us to be prayerful (John xiv:i6; xvi:26) ;

and His beautiful character will constrain us to be lovely (Heb. vii:26).

A Holy life needs no commendation; it is its own com- mendation, and is bound to command attention.

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. A Bed QuUt.

"He shall give you another Comforter" {John xiv:i6),

A poor woman, who was not able to get out to a Church service as she was wont, sent her little boy with the instruction that he was to bring home as much of the sermon as he could. When the boy got home he had forgotten all he had heard.

"Well, do you remember the text ?" queried the mother.

"Yes," the text was, "God says, He is going to send us another bed quilt."

An additional bed quilt was sorely needed, for the only one the mother had was worn and thin, and it was not sufficient to keep her and the boy warm. The mother could not remember such a text as the boy mentioned, so she asked one who was present at the service what the text was, and she replied, "I will send you another Comforter." The boy knew the bed quilt was a com- forter to him when he was cold, so he concluded the Comforter was a bed quilt.

What a number of believers there are who need this bed quilt, namely, the comfort of the Comforter. They are cold because He does not possess them in power.

He is (l) The Friend to counsel us by the Truth (John xvi:i3).

(2) The Fulness to supply the deficiencies in our spirit-

ual character (Eph. v:i8).

(3) The Fruit to make us correspond to His nature

(Galatians v:22).

(4) The Fibre to knit us in love with all God's saints

(i Cor. xii:i2, 13).

(5) The Fire to purify, vivify, and cleanse all our being

(Acts xi:24).

(6) The Fervour to inspire us in love and zeal in God's

service (Acts vi:8-io).

(7) And the Fuel to feed our spiritual life to its

strength and progress (John vi:63).

The Holy Spirit witnesses in us by an uncondemning heart before the Lord, and He witnesses to us by the assuring statements in His Word.

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. A Cliristian: Wliat Is He?

"A Christian" (i Pet iv:i6).

"It seems to have been pretty generally taken for grant- ed, that the sounds which most strikingly assail the ear at close range must also be those that reach the farthest. This, however, is far from the truth, as indeed, might be easily proved. We listen with charmed ears to the varied sounds of a military band, passing us on the march at a short distance. Our ears are invaded by a tumultuous ocean of sound waves which none the less are perfectly agreeable to our sense of hearing. All is not only harmon- ious, but well balanced. The reeds easily hold their own against the brass. The cymbals now and again pleasantly strike us with their crash, and ever and anon the shrill little piccolo trills out high above the rest. Yet as the troops move on into the distance, these more piercing but thinner voices may be the first to fade, presently passing out of hearing altogether, and leaving the horns alone in competition, and when all else is lost, probably the vast waves put in motion by the membrane of the drum will be the last to reach the ear."

Wave sounds are not the only things which are taken for granted. One thing which is often taken for granted is, that because a certain individual passes as a Christian, he therefore is one.

A Christian is One who believes on Christ (John iii 136) ; One who is abiding in Christ (John xv -.4) ; One who is walking after Christ (Luke ix:

23) ;

One who is obedient to Christ (John xiv:

21); . . One who is indwelt by Christ (Gal. ii :2o) ; One who witnesses unto Christ (Acts i:8); One who is looking for Him (PhiL iii:2o). ********

A Christian is "a man In Christ," therefore he is not a man on earth looking up to heaven, but a man in heaven looking down on earth.

3

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

A Holy Place, Life, and Companion- ship.

In Christ {Phil. Hi -.9); Like Christ {Phil ii:5); "With Chnst"( Col. iii:z)'

I asked a student what three things he most wished for. He said, ''Give me books, health, and quiet, and I care for nothing more." I asked a miser, and he cried, ''Money, money, money!" I asked a pauper, and he faintly said, "Bread, bread, bread !" I asked a drunkard, and he called loudly for strong drink. I asked the multi- tude around me, and they lifted up a confused cry, in which I heard the words, "Wealth, fame, and pleasure !" I asked a poor man, who had long borne the character of an experienced Christian. He replied, that all his wishes might be met in Christ. He spoke seriously ; and I asked him to explain. He said, "I greatly desire three things : first, that I may be found in Christ ; secondly, that I may be like Christ ; thirdly, that I may be with Christ."

Paul illustrates these things in his five desires of Phil., iii:8-i2.

"I may win Christ." "Be found in Him." "That I may know Him?" "I might attain." "I may apprehend."

Wholeness and holiness are akin in sound and sub- stance. Holiness to the Lord is expressed in. whole- heartedness to, and for, Him.

Aiming' for the Goal.

"I press toward the mark" {Phil. m;i4).

In an art gallery, before a great painting, a young artist said to Ruskin : "Ah ! if I could put such a dream on canvas !"

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

"Dream on canvas !" growled the stern old critic. "It will take 10,000 touches of the brush on the canvas to put your dream there."

The dream could only become a reality by dint of hard work. Success is found in the mine of labor, where it has to be dug for. The stones which flash most are those which are ground most. Polishing means patient appli- cation, but then the polish is the reward. "Trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle." '

Persistence will surely meet with blessing (Rom. ii:7). Pains may mean pain in performance, but they shall result

in pleasure (2 Pet. i:io). Plod may p:et prods as he walks, but he shall reach his

destination (Heb. xi 19, 10), The travail of birth will result in another life to live, and

this may mean an influence for good (Isa. lxvi:8). y' The river in its flow may pass undesirable places, but it

will minister blessing to some (Ez. xlvii :9-ii). The wind in its rush may overturn, but it will also purify

some fear-haunted souls (Acts ii:2-37). Have a mark, and press towards it, and let nothing hinder

in pressing towards it (i Cor. ix:24).

Aim, attention, activity are essentials of success in any grade of life, and more especially in the Christian life. Aim true, attend well, and be active in all, and something will be done.

All, and no Compromise.

"Utterly destroy" (i Sam. xv:^).

At one of our seaside resorts, a cab proprietor was fined $50 and costs, for not having licenses for twenty- seven carriages. His excuse was, that they were relics of antiquity, kept to lend out while others underwent re-

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

pair. Some make a like plea when their sins are discov- ered ; they do not sin as a regular business, though it is true they keep some of the old relics of antiquity. If we keep the devil s carriages, even under such a pretence, we shall find them turn into funeral cars ere long. Do not keep wine in the cellar, and you will not drink it. He who has a pistol may shoot.

The Lord demands a clean sweep of all that is sinful. This may be gathered if the word "aW is pondered in the following Scriptures :

y Christ died to redeem lis from "all iniquity" (Tit. 11:14). We are to "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness" (2 Cor.

vii:i). V* We are to avoid "all appearance of evil" (i Thess. v:22). / We are to lay aside "all malice" and "all evil speakings"

(i Pet. ii:i). y We are to put away "all bitterness" (Eph. iv:3i), and "all

* * * anger" with its accompanying evils (Col, iii:

8).

The Best Thing to do is to obey. Obedience to the Lord's command proves our love and loyalty to Him. When we obey His behests, He will not deny us His bles- sings.

*'An Thing's Become New."

(2 Cor. v:i7).

"If any man is in Christ, there is a new creation" (2 Cor. v: 17, R. V. margin).

"That man wants a prop on each side of him," said Bishop Taylor Smith, on one occasion, when a curate near Ix)ndon, of some unhappy specimen at a tramps' break- fast. "No, sir," replied the worker, himself a reclaimed tramp ; "he wants a new stem right down the middle."

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

So the Lord works with men. He does not prop us up ; He makes us anew ; hence the behever is v^ A "new creature" (2 Cor. v:i7); ^ He sings a "new song" (Ps. xl:3); / He is in the "new covenant" (Heb. viii:i3); Has a "new name" (Rev. ii:i7) ;

Carries out a "new commandment" (John xiii:34); Walks in a new life (Rom. vi:4); . And is going to the "new Jerusalem" (Rev. xxi:2). ********

The new creation is the production of the Holy Spirit, and whenever that production exists, likeness to Him who produced it is evident, even as the child is like its parent.

An^el in the Marble.

"He shall purify the sons of Levi" {Mai. iiiiz).

"We need a lot of chipping." So said a saint as we were talking together about the Lord's gracious dealings with His people. The saying suggested to my mind the Lord Jesus as the loving Sculptor at work upon the mar- ble of our humanity. There is an angel in the marble, because the pierced hand of the Artist has it in His mind and brings it out by His skill, but there is a ''lot of chip- ping" to be done before the beautiful image of His holy character stands out, displaying the perfection of His work. The hard stone of unbelief, the rough points of self-will, the prominences of worldly ambition, the sharp angles of pride, the ugly faults of temper, the stubborn marks of hereditary trai't, and the dark veins of selfish- ness, are some of the things He removes.

The Lord uses various similes to illustrate His dealings

with us.

He uses the sieve of sifting to get rid of the chaff of worldliness and to preserve the corn of consecration (Amos ixig).

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

He uses the rod of chastisement to remove from us the folly of wilfulness and to train us in the ways of right- eousness (Heb. xii:5, 6).

He puts us in the crucible of refining to remove the dross of unbelief, and waits to see the face of His own char- acter in the silver of our life (Mai. iii:3).

He uses the knife of pruning to cut off the fruitless branches of profession, and to strengthen the fruitful branches of love (John xv:2).

He puts us in the fire of trial to burn up the evil remnants of old habits formed in sin, and to test the reality of our faith in Christ (i Pet. 1:7).

He puts us on the wheel of fashioning to save us from the uselessness of an aimless life, and to make us a vessel meet for His use (2 Tim. ii:2i);

And He pours the metal of our inner nature into the mould of His truth, that He may keep us from the shapeless- ness of worldly ambition and make us answer to the humility of His character (Rom. vi:i7, margin).

The hammer of His word and the chisel of His grace, are used by the hands of Him, whose hands were once transfixed for our benefit on Calvary's cross.

Appearances, tlie Poinsetta.

"Judge not according to the appearances" (John vii:2^).

The poinsetta is a beautiful flower, in which the leaves close to the bud take on such a rich color, that they are often mistaken for the blossom itself, which is, however, a very insignificant thing. *'So men often cultivate their secondary powers to a brilliant hue, while the heart is shamefully neglected and appears miserably small."

The spiritual man does not do this.

He seeks first the kingdom of God (Matt. vi:33).

He has the spiritual on the top and the body under (i Cor. ix:27),

He looks at the seen unreal with the eyes of the real un- seen (2 Cor. iv:i8),

He looks not at the present but for a future glory (Heb. xi:io),

8

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

He has his eyes on the eternal, and can thus truly live in

the present (Heb. xi:27), He sets his affection on things above in contrast to those

who solely mind earthly things (Col. iii:2), And he walks with God among men, and not as men walk

with themselves (Gen. v:22). ********

It is not the glamour of outward appearance that tells with heaven, but the glow of a consecrated heart.

Assurance.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you" {John v:24). A poor Scotchwoman, in Glasgow, who had attended some evangelistic meetings, resolved that she would rest her soul for her salvation on the words of the Lord Jesus as found in John v. 24 : ''Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into con- demnation; but is passed from death unto Hfe." Major Whittle, the evangelist, wrote the words on a card, and gave it to her. She became very happy, so much so, her little boy was attracted by the joy of his mother, and asked what had happened. She told him the best way she could ; the consequence was, he too was led to trust in the Saviour. But the next morning she felt very different. Despondency and doubt had taken the place of peace and joy. She betrayed the state of her mind by the gloom on her face. Harry noticed it at once, and asked her what was the matter. She replied : "I thought I was saved, but my feelings are all gone." "But," said the little fellow, "Mither, has the verse changed?" Quick as a flash he turned to the Bible and got the little card and read it, and looking up radiantly, replied: "Why, no mither; it's just the same." And then he turned to the Bible, and read it there with great joy, shouting almost as he cried: "It*s a* here, mither, the verse is just the

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

same!" The unalterable word of the living God is the only ground for assurance.

(i) The Word is the anchor to keep the barque of our being steady amidst the storms of life (Heb. vi:i8).

(2) It is the harbor-light which shows us where the port of the Lord's protecting presence is (Phil. ii:i6),

(3) It is the foundation upon which the believer can rest in safety (i Pet. i:23).

(4) It is the soil in which the grace of faith grows (Acts

(5) It is the cable that communicates to us the electric cur- rent of God's power (Heb. iv:i2).

(6) It is the telephone by means of which we hear the voice of the Lord speaking to us to our joy and comfort (i Thess. ii:i3).

(7) And it is the atmosphere by means of which we see the brightness of the coming glory (John xvii:i7).

To add the words of our reason to the Word of God's revelation, is not only to demonstrate our folly, but to ask the Lord to add the rod to our back (Prov. xxx:6).

A Telling* Argiunent.

"From you sounded out the Word of the Lord" (i Thess. i:8).

A woman who had been a drunkard was standing at an open air service, when she observed a person who had formerly been one of her bad companions, suddenly leave the crowd and walk quickly away. Hurrying after her she found her in great distress of soul. '*Oh," she said, "I listened to the speakers, but when I saw you standing there so wonderfully changed from what you used to be, I could stand it no longer." She was induced to return to the meeting, and decide for Christ.

The above incident shows the effectiveness of witness- bearing. Christ is more honored by our witnessing than by our talking.

The blind man witnessed to Christ's sight-giving power (John ix:25).

TO

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

The demoniac witnessed to Christ's delivering grace (Mark

v:2o). The leper witnessed to Christ's cleansing touch (Mark i:45). The woman witnessed to Christ's satisfying love (Luke

vii:37). The crooked woman witnessed to Christ's straightening

might (Luke xiii:i3). The raised man witnessed to Christ's quickening life (Luke

vii:i5). The disciples witnessed to Christ's excellent glory (John

i:i4; 2 Pet. i :i6). The saints at Thessalonica witnessed to Christ's effective

working (i Thess. i:g, 10).

To know the truth as in Jesus we must be true to the truth we know. Walking in the truth, truth walks with us, imparts His secrets, and speaks for itself.

Bankrupt.

"I am poor and needy" (Ps. xliiy).

''Here's a man wants to speak to you," said a Christian worker to me at the close of a gospel meeting held in a concert hall.

"Well," I said, to a shabbily-dressed man, with a bleared look and a breath strongly pungent with whiskey.

*T want salvation," he said, in a voice shaky with emotion.

''You can have it," I replied, "by accepting Christ as your Saviour, and giving up the drink."

I prayed for him, and as I was praying, he whimpered out in a most pathetic voice, ''Poor me!" It was the cry, the groan of a soul feeling the lash of sinful habit, and the iron grip of sin. ^'Poor me!" How much bottled-up misery there was in that wail of despair, for wail of des- pair it was ; and yet there was a deep longing to be free from the Satanic grip which held him.

II

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

Thank God for the gospel which comes to the "poor me" just as he is, and breaks the power of sin, as well as blots out the iniquity.

The woman who was a sinner (Luke vii:37-So),

The demon-possessed man (Mark v:is).

The devil-gripped Mary Magdalene (Luke viii:2),

The despised publican (Luke xviii:i3),

Coveteous Zacchseus (Luke xix:2-io),

Self-righteous Saul of Tarsus (Acts ix:i8).

And religious Nicodemus (John iii:i-i6), are some of the poor me's, that Christ met and blest. He is still the same. None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good; but blessed be His name, there is no "poor me" that He cannot save. His blood is the panacea for every ill of sin, and He Himself the Satisfier of every heartache.

Satisfaction does not depend on possessions or position, but on disposition. What is your disposition towards Christ? If it is faith in Him, and love to Him, then you are satisfied with Him, and have all things in Him.

Beauty and Fragi:*ance.

"Sweet Flowers" (Canticles v:i3).

Walking along Magdalen Green, in Dundee, my sense of smell was suddenly greeted by a sweet fragrance. I instinctively turned to whence it came from, and saw a row of mignonette, modestly blooming against a stone wall. Its sweetness betrayed its presence. The same thing is true of a beautiful Christian character — it speaks for itself by its sweetness of temper and attractiveness of grace.

What a beautiful nosegay of fragrance the following make:

The white lily of purity (Matt. v:8). The crimson rose of love (Luke vii:47), The pink carnation of tenderness (Eph. iv:32), The sweet violet of humility (i Pet. v:3),

12

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

The blue forget-me-not of unselfish thoughtfulness (2 Tim.

i:i6), The mignonette of a sweet temper (Rom. xv:2), And the maidenhair fern of an ever-green piety (i Tim. v:4). ********

The faces of some saints are like fresh flowers on a spring morning, while others resemble a damp fog on a November day. The latter chills, while the others cheer and gladden.

Be What You Are.

"Ye are * * * if ye do" (John j»:z;;i4).

At Federal Hill, Baltimore, Colonel Warren gave ord- ers to his guards that only officers in uniform were to be admitted to camp. One bright morning General Dix, who commanded the troops guarding the city, walked over from Fort McHenry in undress. Attempting to pass the line of sentries, in company with an aide, the old gen- eral was amused at finding a musket barring his passage, while the aide, with his glittering shoulder straps, was permitted to pass.

''Why do you stop me, my man ?" inquired the general, quietly.

**My orders are to admit only officers in uniform," was the reply.

"But do you see that this is General Dix?" exclaimed the aide angrily.

"Well, between you and me. Major," said the sentry, his eyes twinkling with amusement, "I see very well who it is ; but if General Dix wants to get into this camp, he had better go back and put on his uniform."

"You are right, sentry," remarked the general ; "I'll go back and get my coat."

The soldier recognized that obedience to his superior's command was the law in the military realm. The same

13

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

is true in the Christian life. We prove what we are by what we do.

There are seven things beHevers in Christ are seen to be, in John xv, and the consequent responsibiHty attached to each.

(i) We are fruitful branches through union with Christ (verse 5).

(2) We are prevailing suppliants by abiding in Christ (verse 7).

(3) We are manifest disciples by abundant fruit-bearing in Christ (verse 8).

(4) We are faithful keepers by obedience to Christ (verse 10).

(5) We are true friends by recognizing the claims of Christ (verse 14).

(6) We are persecuted servants by our identification with Christ (verse 20).

(7) We are yoked witnesses through our fellowship with the Spirit in our testimony to Christ (verse 27),

********

To have the name of a saint and not to have the nature of one, is to be like the sign-post which points to the place, but never gets to the place to which it points.

Blessings in Dlsg'uise.

"Thou could'st have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above" {John xix:ii).

"There was given to me a thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. xii:7).

"God gave me blindness," says Dr. Moon, "as a talent to be used in His service, that I might see the needs of those who could not see."

The ills of life will turn into angels of blessing if we remember God is in them. His permissions which mean great trial to us, lead us to places of benediction.

The bow of promise is seen in the dark cloud of judgment (Geo. ix:i3).

14

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

The stony pillow of Bethel is the forerunner of the ladder

to the glory (Gen. xxviii:ii, 12). The binding of Moriah is followed by the raising from the

dead (Heb. xi:i7-i9). The seven years of service is rewarded by the acquisition

of Rachel (Gen. xxix:28). The backside of the desert is the prelude to the burning

bush of revelation (Ex. iii:i, 2). The fiery furnace reveals the succouring Saviour (Daniel

iii:25) ; And Gcthsemane is crowned by Olivet (Heb, v:7; il'.g). ********

Heartaches are not pleasant while the ache is on, but they are heart-makers if rightly understood. The roll of the tides takes the roughness from the stones and makes them smooth.

Blessing's of tlie Atonement.

"The precious blood of Christ" (i Pet. j.'IQ).

"The only thing I want," said Bishop Hamilton in his dying moments, "is to place my whole confidence more and more perfectly in the precious blood." We may know more prefectly what the precious blood of Christ has done for us when we call to mind the following seven things :

(1) It averts the judgment of God against sin, as the blood of the paschal lamb did on the night of the Passover (Ex. xii:i3; i Cor. v:7).

(2) It converts the one who believes in the Substitute, even as the blood of cleansing changed the position and condition of the cleansed leper (Lev. xiv:i4; Rev. i:5).

(3) It inverts the position we once occupied to the world, for instead of being in it we are now separated from it, even as God said to Pharaoh of Israel : "I will put a redemption (margin) between thy people and My people" (Ex. viii :23).

(4) The blood of Christ inserts us in a new place, even as the blood of the covenant enabled Moses and the seventy elders to draw nigh and see the God of Israel (Ex. xxiv:5-io).

15

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

(5) It asserts that the blessings of pardon (Eph. 1:7), peace (Col. 1:20), power (Rev. xiiiii), purity (i John i:7), and paradise are secured in Him (Rev. vii:i4).

(6) The blood of Christ exerts a powerful influence in its practical bearing, for it kills sin (Rom. vi:i-i3), slays self (2 Cor. v:i5), and overcomes pride (Phil, ii :5-8) ;

(7) And ,the blood of Christ subverts the powers of hell which have been conquered by His death, even as when the sacrificial lamb was offered by Samuel, and the Lord discomfited the Philistines in consequence (l Sam. vii: 9, 10; Heb. ii:i4; Col. i:i4).

The Blessing of Christ's atonement is the Blessing of every gospel blessing, for there is no blessing without it, and all blessing is secured by it.

Box*roTrin^ Misery.

*1 shall perish one day by the hand of Saul" (i Sam. xxviiii).

One advantage in riding through the country on a bicycle, is that one passes through many truly rural scenes. Besides this, one sees not only "sermons in stones" and "running brooks,'' and "good in everything," but pic- tures of gospel truth.

One thing the cyclist dreads, is a puncture, especially when he suddenly finds his tire down in a lonely country road, and after having carefully examined it, cannot locate the leaky part. Such was my experience some few miles out of York. What was to be done? There was no friendly cottage in sight, where a bowl of water could be obtained in order to find the escaping air in the tell-tale bubbles. In desperation the inner tube was put in the outside cover again, and the tire blown up. I rode on, expecting every minute to feel the rims of the wheel on the ground ; but, to my agreeable surprise, the wheel kept up, and there was no need to touch it again in the run to London. Some cyclist friend will say: "Ah, the valve was leaking !" but it was not. Many evils in life are not so bad as they seem to be at first.

16

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

(i) David exclaimed: "I shall now one day perish at the hand of Saul" (i Sam. xxvii:i).

(2) The disciples cried out: "Master * * * we per- ish;" but instead of perishing they were "preserved by Him" (Mark iv:38).

(3) Paul was let down in a basket, and directly afterwards he was caught up into heaven (2 Cor. xi:33; xii:2).

(4) Joseph was cast into prison, but it was the prelude to his being led into the palace (Gen. xxxix:2o; xli:40).

(5) John was banished to Patmos, but it became a paradise in the soul-ravishing view he had of Christ (Rev. i 19, 13-16) ;

(6) And Jacob found his stony pillow to be the place where the sunny path to heaven was seen (Gen. xxviii : 11-15).

To borrow misery is a sorry loan to get, for it is a loan which calls for a large interest, as well as being a fretting companion to torment.

Brig'lit and Burning*.

"He was a burning and shining light" (John z':35)'

"A cold firebrand and a burning lamp started out one day to see what they could find. The firebrand came back and wrote in its journal that the whole world was very dark. It did not find a place, wherever it went, in which there was light. Everywhere was darkness. The lamp when it came back wrote in its journal: 'Wherever I went it was light. I did not find any darkness in all my journey. The whole world was light.' The lamp carried light with it, and when it went abroad it illuminated everything. The dead firebrand carried no light, and it found none where it went."

The lesson of the allegory is, zve shall see around liS

what zve are in ourselves.

Ahab saw in Elijah an enemy, bcause he was an enemy of God (i Kings xxi:2o).

17

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

The Corinthians said Paul's "bodily presence was weak, and his speech contemptible," whereas they were sadly lack- ing in spirituality. If they had possessed his spiritual power, they would not have seen his bodily weakness (2 Cor. x:io; i Cor. iii:i).

Festus was lacking in spiritual reason ; hence, he thought the apostle was mad (Acts xxvi 124, 25)-

Very often the "mote" which is seen in another's eye is the reflection of the "beam" in our own (Matt. vii:4).

On the other hand, when the light of love is burning in the heart, many apparently unimportant things are found to have a heart of worth. Insignificant mites are mighty in value (Mark xii:42). A lad's five loaves and a few fishes are sufficient and abundant to supply the need of a hungry multitude (John viig). A little cloud is the harbinger of a great deluge of rain (i Kings xviii:44) ; and a man, mean in appearance, like John the Baptist, is none the less a burning apostle of love, and a shining light of unmistakable testimony.

Some who profess to be burning and shining lights to the Lord's glory, are ill-smelling lamps and a burning shame to their own disgrace.

Business of tlie Saint.

"Follow thou Me" (John xxi:22).

Tradition tells of an old minister in Scotland, who, in discoursing on the word "follow," which was in his text, informed his hearers that he would speak of four kinds of followers.

"First," said he, "there are followers ahint; secondly, there are followers afore ; thirdly, there are followers cheekie for chow, and sidie by sidie ; and last o' a', there are followers that stand stane-still."

We smile at the old man's ignorance, in speaking of followers as before, beside, and standing still ; but I am not sure whether he was not right after all, for we have known professed followers of the Lord Jesus who have run before their Lord, like Peter, when he cut ofif the ear of the servant of the high priest without his Lord's direc- tion (Luke xxii 149) .

18

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARADLES.

There are also followers of the Lord who presume in plac- ing themselves beside Him as if they were His equal, like the man in the parable who took the uppermost seat, and was placed in the lowest for his assumption (Luke xiv:9) ;

and there are followers who stand still when they should be following in the steps of their Lord, like Peter, when he wanted to know what John was to do, instead of obeying Christ's "Follow Me" (John xxi:22).

To follow Christ means

To imitate His example (i Pet. ii:2l),

To obey His Word (Matt. iv:2o),

To take up His cross (Matt. xvi:24),

To deny the self -life (John xii:26),

And to be used in His service (John i:37)-

The Best Business of heaven is to serve the Lord in the business of earth. Earth's occupations are Heaven's op- portunities to defeat Hell's machinations.

Busybodies and How to Cure Them.

"Tattlers and busybodies" ("meddler," i Pet iv.iS R. v.),

"speaking things which they ought not (i itm.

v:i2,', 2 Thess. iiiiii).

A native of Aniwa, named Titonga, recently gave the following sound advice to his brethren: 'T see many things among us that are not right. There is often bad talk. When you hear a whisper of scandal, you bend forward your"' ear, and exclaim, 'Say that again: say it again, that I may hear it well !' and then you take it and put it in your heart, and go about looking for someone to tell it to. You come to church and take the Word of Jesus, and open it and read it and then you shut it and leave it there. You go to school in the morning, and open the Word of Jesus and read it ; then you shut it and leave it there. You go to your work and forget it. You do not lay it up in your hearts. My friends, this is not right ; we must close our hearts and ears to bad talk, and open our ears and hearts to the Word of Jesus."

19

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

If we give attention to pulling the beam out of our own

eye (Matt. vii:5),

build over against our own house (Neh. iii:28),

cleanse ourselves from all filthiness (2 Cor. vii:i),

keep our own hearts with all dili- gence (Pro. iv:23),

bridle our own tongue (Jas. iii:2),

look to our own spiritual welfare (2 John 8),

and hearken to the voice of the Lord Jesus ourselves (Luke viii:35), we shall have no time for **bad talk."

To be a busybody is to be busy about the business of other bodies, and to neglect the business which should occupy the body who is minding the business of those other bodies.

"But God "

(Acts xiiii^o).

Two significant words ! When we leave God out of our reckoning, difficulties will daunt us, temptations will triumph over us, sin will seduce us, self will sway us, the world will warp us, seeming impossibilities will irritate us, unbelief will undermine our faith. Christian work will worry us, fear will frighten us, and all things will wear a sombre hue. When God is recognized as the One who undertakes for us, then difficulties are opportunities to trust Him, temptations are the harbingers of victory, sin has no attraction, self is denied, unbelief is ignored, ser- vice is a delight, contentment sings in the heart, and all things are possible.

(i) The Pardoner of Sins.— "Who can forgive sins but God only" (Mark ii:7). He forgives sins for the sake of Christ (i John ii:i2), through the blood of His atonement (Eph. i:;), and He forgives fully (Ps. ciii : 3), freely (Rom. iii:24), and frankly (Luke vii:42).

20

PEARLS. POINTS AND PARABLES.

(2) The Bestower of Life. — "But God, who is rich in mercy, &c." (Eph. ii 14, 5). The death of sin gripped us in Its grasp, till the Lord in His grace quickened us by His Spirit. Now we have life from Christ (John v:25), life in Christ (Rom. viii:2), and Christ, in His life, in us (Gal. ii:2o).

(3) The Keeper of Saints. — "But God was with him" (Acts vii:9). Men may persecute, sm may tempt, the world may invite, the devil may harass, and the flesh may entice; but when God is with His own in His power, and they are with Him in their obedience, no evil can befall them ; and no plague can come nigh their dwelling.

(4) The EsTiM.-MOR of Hearts. — "But God knoweth your hearts" (Luke xvi:i5). Men may deceive themselves with the veneer of profession, with the assertion of talk, and with the cloak of religion; but God weighs the motives, judges the heart, sees the reality, and estimates righteously.

(5) The Appointer of Members.— "Bwf God hath tem- pered the body together" (i Cor. xii:24). The word rendered "tempered together" means to "knit to- gether," as the members of the body; to commingle, as the many drops of water make the stream. The word is a compound one: "sun" means together, the union of one thing with another; and "kerannumi" signifies to mingle. God has given to each member his place in the body, and it is the place of each member to keep in his own place, and not to displace any other member.

(6) The Cause of Blessing.— "5w^ God gave the increase" (i Cor. iii:6). The word "to increase" is rendered "grow" in Matt. vi:28; Eph. iv:i5; i Pet. ii:2; 2 Pet. iii:i8. Man may plant and water, but God must cause the germination and growth. As man does his part, God fulfils His part. He can do without us, but He is pleased to do with us. He blesses our efforts, but our efforts are useless without His blessing.

(7) The Revealer of Truth.— "^wf God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit" (i Cor. ii:io). The eye of man's perception cannot see the things of God, nor can the ear of his concentration locate them. They are only made known as we are living in the atmosphere of the Holy Spirit, for as we can only see and hear by means of the atmosphere, so we can only see and hear things of God by means of the illumination of the

Spirit. ********

When God is in our reckonings we count and can count.

21

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. Calvary,

"The place which is called Calvary" (Luke xxiii:33).

A man was explaining the City of Jerusalem and its vicmity. He described the situation of the city, the mount called Zion, the historic association of Olivet, the hal- lowed connections of Gethsemane, the silent waters of Shiloh, the grandeur of the tombs of the kings, the sim- plicity of the well of Jacob : when all of a sudden, a man who was intently listening to the lecturer, shouted '^Shozij us Calvary." Calvary is the place which makes every other place in the Holy Land to be of interest.

As we look to the cross and remember the Christ who suffered there, we gladly say, *'His death is

The price of our salvation (i Cor. vi:2o), The pass into God's presence (Heb. xrig), The propitiator of our guilt (Rom. iii:25), The peacemaker for our reconciliation (Col. ii:20). The pozver of our Christian life (Heb. xiii:i2). The provider of our blessing (Eph. 1:7), And the plea of our testimony (i Cor. xv:i). ********

The Best Place in God's universe is Calvary. The place of a skull is the place where the skulls of a dead past are annihilated, and the skulls of dead sinners are vivified into living saints.

Carefulness.

"If thou carefully hearken unto the Lord" (Dent. ,vz':s)-

"Keep the door shut" was the imperative injunction of one of the ofificials as the train was slowly moving back into a railway station in England. An olBcious passenger would insist on standing near the door of a carriage and holding it open.

"It is all right," was the reply of the self-complacent young man, "I shall not fall out."

22

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

"Perhaps not," was the rejoinder, "but you might knock someone down by having the door open. Shut it !"

Sometimes Christians are equally thoughtless. They are quite concerned about their own safety, but they are not as equally solicitous of others' harm. "Do thyself no harm," was a wise word of Paul to the jailer (Acts xvi: 28), and it is a good rule to observe; but it is even more important to remember that "love worketh no ill to its neighbor" (Rom. xiiiiio). The very first principle of vital godliness is, the believer is more concerned about other's weal than his own welfare. The child of God, as he lives up to his privileges, observes the following rules :

(1) He denies himself (Luke ix:23).

(2) He loves his brother (i John iii:i4).

(3) He looks upon the things of others (Phil. ii:4).

(4) He ministers to the need of those who are of "the household of faith" (Galatians vi:io).

(5) He sympathises with those who are in sorrow (Rom. xii:i5).

(6) He allows others to be preferred before him (Rom. xiirio) ;

(7) He seeks to please his Lord in all things (Heb. xiii:2i).

To be careful with the thought of carefulness, is the believer's duty; but to be careful with the burden of anxiety is to the believer's damage.

Casta^ray.

"Lest * * * J should be a Castaway" (i Cor. ix:2y).

"In the quarry, hard by the temple at Baalbek, in Syria, there is a tremendous block of stone, which, with labor that most present-day writers would call infinite — though there is nothing infinite in the work of man — has been hewn and squared. It is no less than 68 feet long, 14 feet broad, and 14 feet high. Yet, though so much trouble has been taken with it, it was never hiiilt into the temple.

23

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

As a company of the Lord's servants walked past it on one occasion, it seemed to lift its warning voice to them, saying, in the words of Paul, 'Lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.' " While we fully recognize that salvation is all of grace (Ephesians ii:8), and that eternal life is God's gift (Rom. vi:23), still it is possible

To lose the "full reward" (2 John 8),

For the crown to be taken by another (Rev. in:ii),

For the believer to be "ashamed" at Christ's coming

(i John ii:28), To miss the abundant entrance (2 Peter i:ii). Not to obtain the "well done" (Matt. xxv:2i), To have the works burnt up (i Cor. iii:i5), And to be disapproved as a servant of Christ (i Cor. ix:27).

s}c :|: :{? 5}c * * * *

To be faithful to the Lord is the sure way not to be disapproved by Him. If we honor Him by our devotion to Him, He will honor us by praise, honor and glory at His return.

Casting* Away tlie Hindrance.

"He casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus" {Mark x:so).

'They told me," says Dr. Hedin, in recounting some of the legends related to him, in his travels in "The Big Sand" of Central Asia, "that there once existed a large town called Takla-makan in the desert, midway between the Yakand-daria and the Khotan-daria, but for ages it had been buried in the sand. * * * They reported, further, that the interior of the desert was under the ban of teiesmat (an Arabic word meaning 'witchcraft,' 'super- natural powers'), and that there were towers, and walls, and houses, and heaps of gold tacks and silver jambaus (tack and jambau being Chinese coins). If a man went there with a caravan, and loaded his camels with gold,

24

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

he would never get out of the desert again, but be kept there by the spirits. In that case, there was only one way in which he could save his life, and that was by throwing away the treasure."

How many there are who are weighted down with earthly things, which keep them in the desert of sin's con- demnation and control.

"The cares of this life" (Luke viii:i4).

Riches (i Tim. virg).

Greed (Phil, iiiiig).

Self-gratification (Heb. xii:i6).

The world (2 Tim. iv:io).

Self-will (Jude 11).

And pride (Num. xvi:i; Jude 11).

Are some of the treasures which men have grasped at, and perished in consequence.

Men are not saved for what they give up, but they cannot have sin and the Saviour.

If they want the latter, they must part with the former, as the Thessalonians did, who ''turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven" (i Thess. i:g, 10).

He that will save the treasure of the self-life will lose it, but he that will lose the self-life will find the treasure of the life which is eternal (John xii:25).

To be hindered by a hindrance is to be a hindrance as well as being hindered. When we hinder the Lord's work, we hinder God's people, as well as hinder our- selves bv our hindrance.

Centralization.

"Seek those things which are above" (Col. m:i).

A young lady, in writing to a friend, said : "I want something, but I do not know what. My brain is not active enough to plan for itself. I have always lived in a rather narrow sphere, but feel sometimes as though I must strike out somewhere. My brain wants expanding, my

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

thoughts need leading ; but unless it is along an interest- ing path, my perseverance soon flags. Can you advise me?"

There will be no aimlessness in the heart and life, if the injunctions found in the following seven Scriptures are followed, for these seven S's are straight, sure, and settling :

"Seek" (Matt. vi:33).

"Set" (Col. iii:2; Ps. xvi:8).

"Separate" (2 Cor. vi:i7).

"Strive" (Rom. xv:3o).

"Save" (i Cor. ix:22).

"Serve" (Rom. vii:6; Gal. v:i3; Heb. ix:i4).

"Show" (i Tim. v:4; 2 Tim. ii:i5; Heb. vi:ii; James

ii:i8; iii:i3; i Peter iiip). Look up the Scriptures carefully, ponder them thoughtfully,

and practise them thoroughly.

When the heart is centred in the Lord and conserved for Him, we can converse with Him and He communi- cates His blessings to us.

Cliain of Consequent Blessing*.

"Add to your faith" (2 Peter i:s).

Faith comes through the Word, joy comes through be- lieving, patience comes through trial, power comes through prayer, victory comes through equipment, assur- ance comes through obedience, and glory comes through suffering. Note four of these.

(i) Faith Comes Through the Word. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. x:i7). A God-given faith comes through the God-given Word and rests in the God-given Christ. Faith has no being apart from the Word, and no bless- ing either. The world's maxim is, "Seeing is believing" (Mark xv:32), but faith's axiom is "Believing is seeing" John xi:4o; i:5i; xx:29; i Peter i:8; 2 Cor. iv:i7-i8; v:7; Heb. xi: 13-27).

26

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

(2) Joy Comes Through Faith. "Joy and peace in be- lieving" (Rom. xv:i3). Joy is God-given in its source (Ps. xliii :4J ; strength-imparting in its blessing (Neh.

viii:io); fruit-bearing is its accompaniment (John xv : 11); the Spirit is its power (Rom. xiv:i7; Gal. v:22); God is its sphere (Ps. xvi:ii; Rom. v:ii) ; Christ is its secret (i Peter i :8) ; obedience is its minister (Acts viii:39); fellowship with the saints is its helper (Phile. 20); and persecution is its feeder (Acts v :4i ; xiii:52). But the essential thing in all, is to keep the wire of faith in connection with the main office — the Lord Himself (Phil. iv:i).

(3) Patience Comes Through Trial. "Tribulation work- eth patience" (Rom. v 13) . The patience spoken of is not sullen indifference, but calm endurance. It means holding out under pressure, and continuance under trial. Patience is the evidence of spiritual life (Luke viiins), the companion of faith (2 Peter i:6), the precursor of happiness (Jas. v:ii — the word "endure" is rendered "patience'' in Rom. xii:i2), the badge of love (i Cor, xiii:7), the sign of the Spirit's strengthening (Col. i:ii), the essential in the Christian race (Heb. xii:i), the acceptable offering (i Peter ii:2o), and the test of faith (James i:3). This grace, like every other, is found in the (jod of Patience (Rom. xv:5).

(4) Power Comes Through Prayer. "Tarry * * * until ye be clothed with power" (Luke xxiv 149, R. V.). Upper room tarrying brought the Spirit's triumphs. If we trace the effects of prayer through the Acts, we find it was the inceptor of Pentecost (i:i4), the obtainer of renewed blessing (iv:3i), the bringer of salvation (x:3i), the opener of the prison (xii:5), the introducer to missions (xiii:3), ihe consoler in persecution (xvi: 25), the comforter in sorrow (xx:36), the means of fellowship (xxi:5), and the healer of the body (xxviii:8). Prayer is not to be gauged by feeling, but by faithfulness; not by emotion but by promotion; not by noise, but by poise ; not by words, but by worth ; not by seeming effects, but by sanctified experience.

There are three L's in which a heaven of blessing is found, namely: Lean hard upon Christ by faith (Can- ticles viii:5), Look up to Him by prayer (Psalm v:3), and Listen to Him by obedience (John x:2y).

27

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. CMldliood o£ Jesus.

"The Child Jesus" {Luke n;43).

A writer in a religious magazine, pictures a schoolboy exposed to the temptation of bad habits, pride, and dis- honesty, to whom one evening, a loving, gentle angel appeared, and showed him some pictures. *'He looked upon a boy at play, a lad about his own age, surrounded by other youths. They were all strong and happy, and the music of their merry laughter and their shouts could almost be heard. But amongst them all that Boy was pre- eminent, for His was a beauty beyond theirs, and where He was there could be no quarrelling, nothing but good- tempered enjoyment of the game. The picture faded, and in its stead Charlie saw a group of scholars seated at the feet of their teacher, and again the One amongst them, with thoughtful brow, listening more attentively than they all. Another picture showed the same Boy in a work- shop, in ordinary dress, planing industriously a piece of wood, while the light streaming in at the open door shone on His face, and showed that, busy though He was, all His thoughts were moving in a higher sphere. Again, a picture showed Him with His mother, in happy, affection- ate talk. Again, another represented the same Boy kneel- ing alone, praying to His heavenly Father with reverence and perfect child-like trust. As the last picture faded there was silence. Charlie had often seen pictures of Jesus Christ before, but never one that showed Him as He really was." And on his birthday night he "prayed with all his heart, 'O God, help me to make my boyhood like Thine ; help me also to grow in favor with God and man.' " We have in Luke ii :44-52, seven pictures of the Lord Jesus in His childhood:

(i) The Supposed Presence (verse 44);

(2) The Sought Christ (verse 45) ;

(3) The Attentive Scholar (verse 46) ;

(4) The Precocious Boy (verse 47) ;

28

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

(5) The Conscious Son (verse 49) ;

(6) The Subjective Child (verse 51);

(7) The Growing Lad (verse 52).

Jesus was not only the Man of men, but the Boy of boys. He has passed through the experience of the latter, that He may help them in all their experiences.

Children of God*

"Called the Children of God, and such we are" (i John iii:i,

R. v.).

There are, as all the world knows (for it is a sharp and shrewd world), Christians who are ''not summer, but winter painted green." Very disappointing are such Christians. Speaking of such, we may remind our read- ers of the boy who cried, *'Hot mince-pies!" in the streets one frosty morning. A pedestrian, hearing the appetizing announcement, bought a pie ; but, on setting his teeth into it, found it cold as a snow-ball. "I say, you boy, what do YOU mean by calling these hot mince-pies?" "That's the name on 'em," replied the urchin.

It may be difBcult sometimes to tell the true from the pretended Christian ; but a little watching, a little touch- ing, reveals the difference. "Are all Smyrna rugs alike ?" asked a customer. "No," replied the shop-keeper ; "some Smyrna rugs are Smyrna rugs; but most Smyrna rugs are not Smyrna rugs."

The progressive steps of a child of God and the marks of those who are truly the Lord's, are seen in the follow- ing Bible study:

The Word of God recognises there are two families— the children of God. and the chidren of the Wicked One. Tares and Wheat, Dead and Living, Saved and Lost, Bound pnd Redeemed, out of Christ and in Him, Un- righteous and Righteous.

29

PEARLS. POINTS AND PARABLES.

We become the children of God on the Divine side by the New Birth, and on the Human side by receiving Christ (John i:i2, 13). The proofs of sonship are as follows : The constitution of sonship — life (John i:i3). The right of sonship — grace: "He gave" (John i:i2, R. V.), The assurance of sonship — the Spirit (Romans viii:i6). The outcome of sonship — heirship (Romans viii:i7). The trait of sonship — love (Eph. v:2), The proof of sonship — holiness (Eph. v:8), The poiver of sonship — blamelessness (Phil. ii:i5), The evidence of sonship — obedience (i Peter i:i4), The calling of sonship — named "children" (i John iii:i). And the manifestation of sonship — likeness (i John iiiiio).

The nature which makes us God's children shows itself in the likeness we bear to the Lord. "After its kind" is a fact in grace as well as in Nature.

Christ Crucified, the Theme of the Preacher.

"We preach Christ crucified" (i Cor. 1:23).

Will you listen to the concessions of a Unitarian on the great truth of Christ's atonement? Thomas Starr King, a Unitarian, said: *'The doctrine of the vicarious atone- ment is embodied by the holiest memories, as it has been consecrated by the loftiest talent of Christendom. It fired the fierce eloquence of Tertullian in the early Church, and gushed in honied periods from the lips of (Thrysostom ; it enlisted the life-long zeal of Athanasius to keep it pure; the sublimity of it fired every power, and commanded all the resources of the mighty soul of Augustine ; the learn- ing of Jerome, and the energy of Ambrose, were com- mitted to its defence; it was the text for the subtle eye and analytic thought of Aquinas; it was the pillar of Luther's soul, toiling for man ; it was shapen into intel- lectual proportions and systematic symmetry by the iron logic of Calvin ; it inspired the beautiful humility of Fen-

30

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

elon ; fostered the devotion and self-sacrifice of Oberlin ; flowed like molten metal into the rigid forms of Edward's intellect, and kindled the deep and steady rapture of Wes- ley's heart. All the great enterprises of Christian history have been born from the influence, immediate or remote, which the vicarious theory of redemption has exercised upon the mind and heart of humanity."

Preaching Christ crucified we shall find it will be —

— (i) A Convinccr of sin, as seen on the Day of Pentecost

(Acts ii:36, Z7)- ^ (2) A Bringer of Blessing, as evidenced in the lame man

and Peter's words (Acts iii:i3-i9), >y (3)) A Means of Forgiveness, as Peter emphatically states

(Acts V 129-31 ). (4) A Procurer of Joy, as witnessed in the result of the "^ Eunuch's faith (Acts viii:29-39).

,^ (5) An Obtainer of the Spirit, as was made known to

Cornelius and those in his house (Acts x:39-44). V (6) A Medium of JustiHcation, as Paul declared at Antioch

(Acts xiii:38, 39). (7) An Imparter of Responsibility, as the Apostle intimates

to the elders at Ephesus, when He charges them to care

for Christ's purchased possession (Acts xx:28).

Christ crucified Is the greatest theme in the universe, for it proclaims the greatest work ever performed by the greatest Person, and securing the greatest ends possible.

Christ Pre-eminent.

"Not I, but Christ (Gal. ii:2o).

"As you grow in your art," said Gounod to a young poet, ''You will judge the great masters of the past, as I now judge the great musicians of former times. At your age I used to say, "I;" at twenty-five, I said "I and Mozart ;" at forty. "Mozart and I ;" now I say "Mozart."

31

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

The same thing is illustrated in the life of the beHever who is growing in grace.

At first the cry is, "What must / do" (Acts xvi:3o), Then "that I may be found in Christ" (Phil, iiiip), Then "Christ Hveth in me*' (Gal. ii:2o), And lastly, "Christ is all" (Col. iii:ii).

''Christ is our highest Orpheus, whose sphere-melody, flowing in wild, native tones, took captive the ravished souls of men, and still modulates and Divinely leads them."

Ciirist's Atonexnenl).

"The life of the flesh is the biood, and I have given it to you upon the altar, to make an atonement for your souls : for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (^Lev. jcvUiii). Sir Walter Scott makes one of his characters, Old Mor- tality, to be occupied in re-chiselling the inscriptions on the tombstones of the Covenanters. Annually the old man visited the graves of the men who had laid down their lives for the sake of Christ and the Covenant, and re- moved the moss and dirt that might have gathered on their monuments. We may do something similar with the chisel of the pen in reproducing those epitaphs which speak of the "unseen things."

In Bunhill Fields cemetery there is the following epi- taph on the tomb of an infant: 'Tn memory of Westfield Lilley, son of Westfield and Sarah Lilley, who died June 2nd, 1798, aged one year and ten months. ''Bold Infidelity, turn pale and die, Under this stone an Infant's ashes lie.

Say, — Is it Lost or Saved f If Death's by sin, it sinned, for it lies here ; If heaven's by works, in Heaven it can't appear. Ah, reason, how deprav'd ! Revere the Bible! (sacred page) the knot's unty'd; It died, through Adam's sin ; it lives, for Jesus died."

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

"Jesus died!" In the fact of Girist's atonement, as may be found in the following Scriptures, we find

The antidote for sin's ill (Rom. v:8),

The severance from sin's authority (Rom. vi:io, II),

The remover of sin's condemnation (Rom. viii:34).

The motive for Christly action (Rom. xiv:i5),

The separator from self's aggrandisement (2 Cor. v:i4-

16, R. v.). And the promise of coming glory (i Thess. iv:i4; v:io).

Christ's atonement is the expression of God's love in dealing with sin, and it is the extinguishing power to put it out. The fire of heaven consumes the flame of hell.

Christ's Blood of Blessing*.

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (i John i.7).

In the autobiography of the martyred James Chalmers, he recounts what gave him peace; he says: 'T was pierced through and through with conviction of sin, and felt lost beyond all hope of salvation. Mr. Meikle came to my help, and led me kindly to promises and to light; and, as he quoted The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin/ I felt that this salvation was possible for me, and some gladness came to my heart. After a time light increased, and I felt that God was speaking to me in His Word, and I beHeved unto sal- vation."

What a number have found, in the statement of fact that the blood of Christ cleanseth from sin, a furnisher of blessing.

(i) Verily His atoning blood is a sin-remover (Heb. ix:26),

(2) a conscience-healer (Heb. x:l-4),

(3) a victory-provider (Rev. xii:ii),

(4) a blessing-procurer (i Cor. x:i6),

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

(5) a sin-killer (i Peter i:i8, 19, R. V.),

(6) a self-displacer (Gal. ii:2o),

(7) a world-separator (Heb. xiii:i2),

(8) a love-inspirer (2 Cor. v:i4, 15).

To be cleansed by Christ means more than to have the pimples removed from the face of the Hfe, it means the purification of the heart's affection, so that the bad blood v^hich caused the pimples is removed.

Christ's Cross.

"The cross of Christ" (Philippians iiiiiS).

In the Apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, the believing thief who was crucified with Christ, is represented as entering Paradise, "a miserable figure, carrying the Sign of the Cross upon his shoulders." And seeing him, all the saints said to him, "Who art thou? for thy counten- ance is like a thief's? And why dost thou carry a cross on thy shoulders ?" In answer to them he said : "Truly have ye said that I was a robber and a thief in the world, doing all sorts of evil upon the earth. And for all these things the Jews crucified me along with Jesus. * * * And He gave me the sign of the cross, saying, 'Walk into Paradise carrying this.' "

We have no sympathy with a material cross, but we have the profoundest reverence for the glorious media- torial significance of the cross, for by "the blood of the cross"

Christ has made peace for ns (Col. i:2o).

Has taken away the hindering law of ceremonies (Col.

ii:i4), Reconciled Jew and Gentile to Himself (Eph. n:i6). Through His "being obedient unto the death of the cross" He

has reached the highest place in glory (Phil. iiig).

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

And believers find in the cross of Christ the power and wisdom of God (i Cor. i:i8), therefore we may well glory in it (Gal. vi:i4)-

>K >!c * * * * * *

The heart c f Christ beat in sympathy for the world in the past eternity, and it broke in sacrifice for the world in time on the cross.

Christ's Example.

"I have given you an Example" (John xiiiiis)- Huxley once wrote the following confession :— "No human being, and no society composed of human beings, ever did or 'ever will come to much unless their conduct was governed and guided by ethical ideal!"

Where shall we find the highest example of "ethical ideal?" In Christ, and in Him alone, for He, as He Him- self says, left us an example for our following. He is our Example in love (John xiii:34)- In humility (Phil. ii:5-8). In self-denial (Rom. 'Xv:2). In helping each other (i John iii: 14-17). In suffering wrongfully (i Peter ii:2i). In serving each other (John xiii:i5). And in testimony (John xvii:i8). ' ********

''Christ is that ideal character present to the world in Christianity, which, through all the changes of the cen- turies, has filled the hearts of men with an impassioned love."

Clirist's Example, or ''In His Steps".

"Follow Me" (John xii:26). An old Chinese woman, who had been brought to Christ, brought her ancestral tablet to the missionary, who had been the means of her conversion, and re- quested that it might be burnt. The missionary re- sponded to the request. A further request was made re- garding the pot, in which the ashes of the ancestors were preserved, that it might be destroyed. The missionary suggested that the pot' might do service to keep a plant in.

35

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

''No," said the woman, after thinking for a few min- utes, "it belongs to the devil, and all that's connected with him must be destroyed." Whereupon she picked the pot up, and going outside the missionary's house, dashed it against the wall, and began, to sing in a cracked voice:

''Follow, follow, I will follow Jesus, Anywhere, everywhere, I will follow on."

Following Christ is no child's play. Let us note some of the places to which He went, and see how they cor- respond to us as we follow Him. Following Christ we shall

(i) Go beneath the waters of Jordan's judgment upon the self-life (Matthew iii:i5; John xii 124-26 ) ;

(2) We shall tread the wilderness of temptation (Matt, iv :i ; I Peter iv :i2) ;

(3) We shall traverse the hill of Nazareth's persecution (Luke iv:29; John xv:i8);

(4) We shall encounter the Simon of misunderstanding (Luke vii:39; 11 Corinthians vi 19) ;

(5) We shall pass through the Gethsemane of sorrow (Hebrews x:7; 11 Corinthians xii :8) ;

(6) We may have to stand in the Gabbatha of scorn and suffering (John xix:i3; i Corinthians iv:9-i3);

(7) And we shall go to the Golgotha of crucifixion (John xix :i7; Gal. ii :2o).

But everyone of these places has its compensation, for the "opened heaven" follows Jordan (Matt. iii:i6; Heb. x:i9); triumph is found in the wilderness (Luke iv:i3, 14; Revelation iii:2i), peace follows persecution (John x:39-42; xvi:33), faith grows stronger by trusting when misunderstood (Hebrews xii :2, 3; i Peter iii:i6), angelic ministry is exercised in Gethsemane (Luke xxii 143 ; 11 Corinthians xii:9), reward comes to the endurer of suf- fering (Heb. ii:9-ii; 11 Timothy ii:i2), and glory is the outcome of Calvary's gory path (Luke xxiv:26; Rom. viii:i7, 18).

To practice the precepts of the Christ in the ardour and willingness of love, we need the passion and poten- tiality of His sacrifical cross. The cross draws us to the Christ Who died on it, and the Christ makes any cross valuable.

36

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. Christ's Mastership.

"For one is your Master, even Christ" (Matt. xxiiiiS),

There are six different Greek words in the New Tes- tament referring to our Lord that are translated ''Mas- ter." One of these represents Him as the Overseer, an- other the File Leader, another the Teacher, another the Despot, the fifth the Supreme Owner, and the sixth the Initiated One. These words imply that He is different from us, in each relation, as represented by His name, and we are different from Him. Each name implies that somet'.iing is supplied to us, and something expected from us. The names imply that (i) He is responsible for all needed provision; (2) it is our right and duty to look to Him for absolute guidance; (3) He is ready to fulfil His promise of instruction; (4) there must be complete submission to His wiU and command; (5) His rights as Owner can only be acknowledged by consecra- tion to His service ; and (6) Fie, being the One Who is initiated in the things of God, can lead us into their secrets. He watches over us, Hie leads us. He instructs us, He is our supreme Lord, He owns us, for He pur- chased us with His blood, and 'loves to teach us.

The following verses of Scriptures are where the dif- ferent words are found.

The Overseer denotes Christ in His supreme authority, and

is used of Him alone, and is only found in Luke's Gospel

(Luke v:5; viii -.24, 45; ix 133, 49; xvii:i3). The File Leader signifies Christ as the One Who leads and

directs (Matthew xxiii:8). The Teacher represents Him as the Instructor. Judas used

this word, but he never called Him "Lord" (Matthew

xxvi:25, 49). The Despot speaks of Him as the One Who has absolute

right and might (2 Tim. ii :2i ; 2 Pet. ii:i). The Owner suggests the thought of possession and authority

(Luke xix:i6). The word is rendered "owners" in

verse ZZ-

■Z7

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

The Initiated One signifies Christ as the One Who is able to teach because He has been taught (Luke x 125 ; John xiii:i3, 14).

Nothing is right in the life till Christ has the place of sovereignty in the heart. A Christ-possessed heart, means a Christ-reflected life. Only the Christ within can reproduce the Christ without.

Clirist's purpose in dying'*

"He died for all, that * * * " (2 Corinthians v.is).

Some time since, Mr. Arthur Hacker put forth his strength in a highly-imaginative illustration of Malory's "Morte d'Arthur," picturing "The Temptation of Sir Percival," when the knight sheathed in armour, with hel- met at his side, is seen seated in the enchanted wood, holding a wine-bowl in his hands, and having at his side a temptress, in the shape of a young but evil-looking woman. Close by Sir Percival is his good sword, the hilt of which forms a cross, and gating at this he is re- called to a sense of his duty.

There are many practical lessons we may learn from the cross of Christ.

His death is the annuller of sin (Rom. vi:ii).

The displacer of self (11 Cor. v:i4, 15),

The promoter of humility (Phil. ii:5-8).

The leader to righteousness (i Peter ii:24).

The begetter of love (i John iii:i6),

The conqueror of Satan (Revelation xii:ii).

And the harbinger of hope (i Thessalonians iv:i6).

Christ had a two-fold purpose in dying for us. He died to bring us to God in a lasting relationship, and He died to bring God to us in the sufficiency of His grace.

38

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. Christ's Substitutionary Death.

"Christ suffered for sins once, the Righteous for the unright- eous" (i Pet. m:i8, r. v.). "My blood * * * shed for many unto the remission of sins" {Matt. xxvi:28, r. v.).

That master of evangelical thought, Dr. Dale, has put the subject in his own masterly way. He says: "In every province of human thought we ascertain the Facts first — make such of them — and try to explain them after- wards. We never deny the Facts because we find them inexplicable. Some of the Facts about which we are most certain, and with which we are most familiar, cannot be explained. We cannot, for example, explain why we see a mountain when the image of it is formed on the retina ; or why we hear a voice when vibrations are pro- duced in the ear by the percussion of atmospheric waves. Between the image on the retina and vision, between the vibrations in the ear and sound, there is a gulf which no speculation has ever been able to cross. The two classes of phenomena — the impression on the physical organ on the one hand, and consciousness on the other — are so remote from each other, so unlike, that the relation be- tween them cannot be traced. It may be that we shall find ourselves unable to give any account of the relation between the Death of Christ and the forgiveness of sin ; and yet the fact that the Death of Christ is the ground of forgiveness, may be so certain to us as to be a great power in life."

As we think of the work of Christ on the cross in the broad outline of its comprehensiveness, it may be grouped under the following seven points :

(i) The Death of Christ is Generative in its Life. "Ex- cept a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone : but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit'' (John xii:24). "The Son of Man must be lifted up" (John iii:i4). His death was a necessity; hence, the meaning and force of His "must," for had He not gone down into the dust of death, He would not have been able to communicate to us His life. His death is or.r life.

39

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

(2) The Death of Christ is Substitutive in its Work. Christ's own statement about the fact of His substitu- tionary work is conchisivc and final. He says, in speak- ing of the great purpose for which He came into the •world, that it was "to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew xx:28). Dean Alford says of these words, they are "a plain declaration of the sacrificial and vicarious nature of the death of our Lord."

(3) The Death of Christ is Protective in its Grace. "Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" (i Thes- salonians i:io). "We shall be saved from wrath through Him" (Romans v:9). "God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through (r. v.) our Lord Jesus Christ" (i Thessalonians v.g). In these verses there is an impending doom hanging over the sinner, which is averted through the action of Another. Mark the sentence, "Through our Lord Jesus Christ." The sense of the "through" is "by means of" Him. How? Because the stroke of Jehovah has fallen upon Him, as we read in Isa. liii:8: "For the transgression of My people was the stroke upon Him" (margin).

(4) The Death of Christ is Inductive in its Blessing. "Christ also suffered for sins once, the Righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God" (i Peter iii:i8, r. v.) He died to save us from hell and bring us to heaven ; but what is of even greater mo- ment He died to bring us "to God;" or, as Rotherham renders it, "To introduce us to God." Yet there is more than introduction, there is induction, namely, bring- ing us to God and making us His children. Christ, in bringing us to God, brings us into the relationship of children, with all its privileges and responsibilities, and a great deal more.

(5) The Death of Christ is Formative in its Power. The Holy Spirit, in speaking of the believer being baptised into the death of Christ, speaks of it as that "Form of doctrine" (Rom. vi:i7). The figure is that of a mould into which the metal runs and is shaped by it. The heart and life of the child of God are to be formed by the death of Christ. The death of the cross is to be the death of sin ; and its munificent giving, its holy sacrifice, its Divine passion, its devoted service, its patient suffering, its self-effacement, and its God-glori- fying spirit are to be ours.

40

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

(6) The Death of Christ is Inspirativc in its Motive. The apostle, in speaking of the power which moved him in his life's service for Christ, says "The love of Christ con- straineth us; because we thus judge, that One died for all, therefore all died" (ii Corinthians v:i4, r. v.) It was not love in a general sense which moved him, but the love as expressed in the death of His Lord. The fire which ignited his being was got from the altar of Christ's sacrifice.

(7) The Death of Christ is Procurative in its claim. The price which the Lord paid in order that He might pro- cure us for Himself was the shedding of His precious blood. The price of His purchase is the right by which He claims us for Himself. "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (i Cor. vi:i9, 20). The claim of His call upon the whole of our nature is based upon the purchased price He gave for us in His death.

Sin has inoculated all mankind with its poison ; but through identification with Christ's atonement, He, by the vitality of that death, transmits His life to us, and counteracts the virus.

Christ's Verily's.

"Verily I say unto you" (Matt. v:iS).

A little child, after praying her own little prayer by her bedside, was heard to say, "And now, dear Lord Jesus, I am zvaiting for You to speak to me."

We, too often, are in too great a hurry, to hear what the Lord has to say to us. Would we know what He says to us in some particulars, then let us ponder, pray over, and practise the thirty

41

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

"Verily I say unto you's" of Matthew's Gospel (Matt. v:i8, 26; vi :2, 5, 16; viii:io; x:i5, 23, 42; xi:ii; xiii:i7; xvi- 128; xvii:2o; xviii 13, 13, 18; xix 123, 28; xxi :2i, 31; xxiii:36; xxiv :2, 34, 47; xxv:i2, 40, 45; xxvi, 13, 21, 34, and further see the double "Verilys" — "Verily, verily I say unto you" — in John's gospel.

Christ's verities are backed by His verilys. The va- lidity of His verities make us sure of the virtue of His verilys. He says all that is worth saying, therefore, it is not for us to do any saying, but it is our wisdom to do all the believing.

Christ, tlie Balm for every 111.

"Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no Physician there?" {Jcr. via : 22).

A well-known author, in describing a conversation be- tween a doctor and clergyman, makes the doctor say: "You fight the devil from the inside, and I fight him from the outside. My chance is a poor one."

"It would be, perhaps, if you were confined to outside remedies. But what an opportunity your profession gives you of attacking the enemy from the inside as well! And you have this advantage over us. that no man can say it belongs to your profession to sav such things, and therefore disregard them."

"Ah, Mr. Walton, I have too great a resoect for your profession to dare to interfere with it. The doctor in 'Macbeth,' you know, could

'Not minister to a mind diseased, Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow. Purge out the written troubles of the brain, And with some sweet oblivious antidote Cleanse the stuiT'd bosom of that perilous stuff Which weighs upon the heart.' "

42

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

"Wiat a memor}' you have ! But you don't think I can do that any more than you?"

"Do you know the best medicine to give, anyhow. I wish I always did. But, you see, we have no theriaca now."

''Well, we have. For the Lord says, 'Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.' "

"There ! I told you ! That will meet all diseases."

"Strangely, now there comes into my mind a line of Qiaucer, with which I will make a small return for your quotation from Shakespeare; you have mentioned theriaca; and I, without thinking of this Hne, quoted our Lord's words. Chaucer brings the two together, for the word triacle is merely a corruption of theriaca, the un- failing cure for everything.

'Christ, which that is to every harm triacle.' "

Christ is the Rest for the weary (T^Iatt. xi:28).

Christ is the Life for the dead (John x:io).

Christ is the Salvation for the lost (Luke xixrg).

Christ is the Liberator for the bound (Luke iv:i8).

Christ is the Cleansing for the poHuted (i John i:7).

Christ is the Holy One for the sinful (i Cor. i:3o).

Christ is the All and in all (Col. iii:ii).

The only cure for fallen humanity is Divinity. The Christ of God does not patch up humanity, but through His atoning blood pardons the sinner who receives Him, and makes him a new creature.

Christ, tlie Caretaker.

"He careth for You"(i Pet. v:y).

I could not help thinking the words were a good pillozv upon which to rest as I retired to bed, for they reminded me of the watchfulness of His care. When I got up in the morning, the words were still proclaiming their mes- sage, and spoke of the preparedness of His care to meet

43

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

the difficulties of the day ; hence they were a strengthen- ing cordial. As I went out to do the Lord's work feel- ing its responsibility, the words had yet another message, for they reminded me of the sufficiency of His care to meet needs. Hence, they were a gladsome encourager. Pondering the words still further, I could not help asking the question : ''How does He care ?" The follow- ing are some of the characteristcs of His care.

(i) He cares for us, as a father cares for his child, pro- vidingly (Romans viii 132) .

(2) As a mother cares for her offspring, aifectionately (Isaiah xlix:i5).

(3) As a gardener cares for his garden, attentively (Isaiah xxvii :3).

(4) As the eye-lid cares for the eye, instantly (Deuteron- omy xxxii:io).

(5) As a friend cares for a friend, faithfully (Prov. xvii:

17).

(6) As a keeper cares for his charge, watchfully (Psalm cxxi :4-8).

(7) And as a hanker cares for the treasure deposited with him, secretly (Col. iii:3).

He who looks up to God in prayer will always find He looks dozvn to provide for the need which prompts the the petition.

Christ the Chiefest, or Better than the Best.

"The chiefest" {Canticles v:i6).

One was asked whether he did not admire the admir- able structure of some stately building; ''No," said he, "for I have been at Rome, where better are to be seen every day." So says the true-hearted believer when the fair and attractive things of earth are presented to him, and are compared with Christ. He is better than

44

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

the best, and richer than the richest. Mark what the Holy Spirit says of the things which belong to Him.

(i) His love is unknowable (Eph. iii:i9).

(2) His riches are unsearchable (Eph. iii:8).

(3) His joy is unspeakable (i Peter i:8).

(4) His ways are untrackable (Romans xi :33).

(5) His grace is inexhaustible (11 Cor. ix:8).

(6) His peace is unfathomable (Philippians iv:7).

(7) And He Himself is unsurpassable (Ex. xv:ii).

The superlative of Christ's perfection is beyond all question, as one has said, "Christ is the mightiest among the holy, and the holiest among the mighty, who lifted with His pierced hands empires ofif their hinges, turned the 'stream of time into new channels, and still governs all the ages."

Christ the Emancipator from Sin.

"He looseth the prisoners" (Ps. cxlvi7).

A little fun at the Birmingham Post-office led to a re- markable sequel. Among the postal packets, was a parcel containing a pair of handcuffs, which were being sent from Derby to a manufacturer in Birmingham, to be fitted with a key. The paper covering of the package had, during transit, been badly torn, with the result that when the handcuffs reached the Birmingham sorting- office, they were exposed to view. They were an object of curiosity, and presently one of the clerks jocularly clasped one of the cuffs round the wrist of his left hand. To his dismay, there was no key to unfasten it, and he, therefore, went to the central police-station. Here a key was found, but, as the officer was turning it, it broke off in the cuff. The situation, at first comical, had now be- come really serious. The broken key would have to be drilled out, or the handcuff filed through, before the clerk

45

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

could be released from his unpleasant encumbrance. But it was Sunday, and no place of business was open. The clerk therefore returned to the post-office and explained his plight to his superintendent, by whom he was ordered to go to Derby by the first train the next morning, ex- plain the whole circumstances to the owner of the hand- cuff, and apologise ; and then return to Birmingham, and proceed to the manufacturer and have the handcuff taken off.

Sinners often play with sin, like the man with the handcuffs, and find presently they are unable to give it up, for it has got them, and holds them firmly in its grasp, until a power outside of themselves gives them release.

Christ is the Great Emancipator. He delivers from the

penalty of sin by His atoning death (i Peter ii:24). He dehvers from the pozver of sin by His risen power

(Colossians ii:i2, 13). He delivers from the pollution «/ sin by His in-dwelling

presence (John xv:4, 5). He delivers from the pauperism of sin by the riches of His

Grace (Ephesians ii:7). He delivers from the pleasure of sin by the pleasures in

His right hand (Psalm xvi:ii, r. v.). He delivers from the principle of sin by His operating love

(i John iii:6). And He will deliver from the presence of sin at His glorious

return (Phil, iii :20, 21).

He who plays with sin will find that sin will not play with him. It will hold and hurt. Then Christ alone can heal and deliver.

Clirist, tlie Fortress.

"The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress" (2 Sam. xxii:2).

In carrying on a war, the first thing wanted is a strong castle to retreat to. When the Duke of Welling- ton entered on the famous Peninsular Campaign, in

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

which he drove Bonaparte's armies back to France, he built a stupendous fortification at Torres Vedras fort> miles in circuit. Six hundred cannon were mounted on 150 towers; while every jutting rock bristled with wea- pons of defence. No such fortress was ever seen before. Massena, the French general, thought he was sure of Wellington and his troops, and came down with 80,000 men, like a whirlwind, expecting to drive them all into the sea. All at once they saw before them this appalling entrenchment stretching right across their path. Im- mediately they came to a halt, while their general rode to-and-fro for days in hope of finding some weak point at which he might enter. But all in vain. Torres Vedras was impregnable. He shook his head, and with shame gave orders for a retreat.

Now, the Lord is our "Torres Vedras" — our Fortifi- cation. No weapon formed against this Fortress can prosper. In it we may hold out against a siege for a whole lifetime. Iniquity shall never be our ruin if we do but cleave to Christ, for He is the

(i) Strong Fortress for safety in time of peril (2 Sam. xxii :2) ;

(2) Sheltering Fortress for preservation from our enemies (Ps. xviii :2) ;

(3) Sure Fortress to keep from perplexity and doubt (Ps. xxxi :3) ;

(4) Settled Fortress for habitation (Ps. lxxi:3);

(5) Supreme Fortress for excellence, for none can do, or be, like Him (Ps. xci :2) ;

(6) Suitable Fortress, for He can meet the need of each and all (Ps. cxliv : 2);

(7) Succouring Fortress in the time of affliction (Jer. xvi:i9).

Christ is our hiding and abiding place. Hiding in Him is our safety and peace ; and abiding in Him is our sancti- fication and satisfaction.

47

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. Christ, the Keeper.

"Unto Him that is able to keep you from falling" (Jude 24).

The natives of India used to say that when Sir Henry Lawrence looked twice to heaven, and then to earth, he knew what to do. The 121st Psalm stands out in striking contrast to the previous one, where the Psalmist is in distress and loneliness, as he is surrounded by enemies. But now we find him rising from the earth and his own despair to the height of the Lord's preserving care. Like the brave general above named, he knows what to do, for the Lord is his Constant Keeper. The Lord is seen in no less than nine different characters. We behold Him as the Almighty Helper (verse 2) ; as the Sure Upholder (verse 3) ; as the Constant Keeper (verse 3) ; as the Vigilant Watchman (verse 4) ; as the Assuring Pre- server (verse 5) ; as the Sheltering Protector (verses 5 and 6) ; as the Absolute Guardian (verse 7) ; as the Per- sonal Sustainer (verse 7) ; and as the Unfailing Friend.

(i) Almighty Helper (verse 2). If we look to the mar- ginal reading of verse i, he asks the question, "Shall I look to the hills?" but comes to the conclusion that his help comes from Him who made the hills.

(2) Sure Upholder (verse 3). "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved."

(3) Constant Keeper (verse 3). "He that keepeth thee will not slumber."

(4) Vigilant Watchman (verse 4). "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."

'(5) Assuring Preserver (verse 5). "The Lord is thy Keeper."

(6) Sheltering Protector (verses 6 and 7). "The Lord is thy Shade," &c.

[(7) Absolute Guardian (verse 7, R. V.). "The Lord shall keep thee from all evil."

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

(8) Personal Sustaincr (verse 7). His personal thought of us in our personal need is seen if we ponder the seven "Thys" and three "Thees," all of which are wrapped up in "He shall keep thy soul."

(9) Unfailing Friend (verse 7). "The Lord shall keep * * * for evermore" (r, v.)

Christ keeps us for Himself from the world ; He keeps us in Himself from sin ; He keeps us by Himself from Satan ; and He keeps us with Himself for fellowship.

Christ, tbe Lifter-IJp.

"Thou hast lifted me up" {Ps. xxx:i).

The biographer of Bismarck says of him. "Bismarck al- ways disliked England and everything English ; naturally from his point of view, for the constitutional monarchy and parliamentary system were in irreconcilable antipathy to his whole theory of government. The two systems are in fact the negation of each other. The British system is an expansion of that noble verse in the Te Deum :' 'Gov- ern them and lift them up for ever.' The true end of gov- ernment is ahvays to lift up the governed. The despotic idea of goverment is just the reverse : 'Govern them and keep them down for ever.' Of that idea Bismarck was the most perfect incarnation of our era, and naturally, therefore, Britain was always to him an object of intense dislike." Certainly the lifting up is the Christian act, for practical Christianity is a lifting up of the whole being.

Christ is ever doing what He did to Peter's wife's mother,

of whom we read, "He came, and took her by the

hand, and lifted her up" (Mark 1:31). The Lord is the "Lifter-up." This is one of His titles (Ps.

iii:3). He lifts up from the dunghill of sin, and sets us among

the princes of His pov/er (i Sam. ii:8). He lifts up from the gates of death's despair, and makes

us partakers of His life (Ps. ix:i3).

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

He lifts us up from the hatred of our enemies and keeps us

in safety (Ps. xviii 148, xxvii :6, xxx:i). He lifts up those who are in the enemy's power, and makes

them free in His liberty (Mark ix:27); And He lifts us up in the time of our weakness, and makes

us strong for His service.

******** Love's siftings often precede His liftings. He sifts to get rid of the chafif, and He lifts to gladden our'hearts.

Christ: The Precious One.

"Unto you therefore who believe He is precious" (i Pet. iiiy).

"Christ is precious, is He not?" I said to an aged saint, who was very feeble and ill ; in fact, she was wandering a good deal, as we could tell by her incoherent talk; but the mention of Christ's name touched a responsive chord in her nature, for she immediately replied : "He is pre- cious, if we make Him so."

The benefit of anything is the use we make of it. It is the bread we eat which satisfies our hunger, and not the bread in the baker's shop. It is the money which is invested that gains interest, and not that which the miser hoards up.

The same is true with regard to spiritual things.

It is the hand of the diligent which maketh rich (Prov. x:4).

Those who take the water of life get their soul-thirst quenched, and their soul's need met (Rev. xxii:i7).

Those who receive Christ are made the children of God to their eternal making (John i:i2.)

Those who believe on Christ possess eternal life to their own joy and peace (John iii:36).

Those who obey Christ show that they are His by their obedience, to their assurance and power (John x:27).

Those who hearken to Christ are they upon whom condemn- ation shall never come (John v 124) .

Those who surrender to Christ by whole-hearted consecra- tion, are those to whom He surrenders Himself to their comfort (Song of Sol. ii:i6).

50

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

Those who lean on the Beloved by prayerful trust, find He gives them the consciousness of His love to their tri- umph (Song of Sol. viii:5);_

And those who walk with Him in the hour of strife, find He honors them in making them walk with Him in white to their honor (Rev. iii:4).

Christ is not only precious apart from us, but to us is the preciousness (see R. V. Margin of i Pet. ii:7), for He imparts Himself to us.

Christ: The Rest-Giver.

"Come unto Me * * * I will give you rest" (Matt. xi:2S).

In Newport Church, in the Isle of Wight, lies buried the Princess Elizabeth (daughter of Charles the First). A marble monument, erected by Queen Victoria, records in a touching way, the manner of her death. She lan- guished in Carisbrook castle during the wars of the Com- monwealth— a prisoner, alone and separated from all the companions of her youth, till death set her free. She was found dead one day, with her head leaning on her Bible, and the Bible open at the words, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The monument in Newport Church records this fact. It consists of a female figure reclining her head upon a marble book, with the text engraven on it.

She had found, as many another has found, that Christ, and Christ alone, is the One who can give rest.

He gives rest from a guilty conscience, through faith in His precious atonement, for He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb. ix:26).

He gives rest from fear of judgment, for there is "no con- demnation to them who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. viii:i).

He gives rest from the fear of death, for by His death He has rendered powerless him who had the authority of death (Heb. ii:i4).

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

He gives rest from anxiety, as we are careful for nothing-,

thankful for anything, and prayerful in everything

(Phil. iv:6, 7). .

He gives rest from the evil of unbelief, as we are diligent

to enter unto His rest (Heb, iv:3). He gives rest from a disturbing heart, as we are found

yoked with Him in the will of God (Matt. xi:29) ; And He gives rest from defeat, as we are environed with His

presence, for His rest is on every side (2 Chron. xiv:7). ,Who would not have this many-sided blessing of rest?

Come and rest. Take His yoke and be blest. Believe

and enter into His rest. Rest, weary soul !

The penalty is borne, the ransom paid,

For all thy sins full satisfaction made !

Strive not to do thyself what Christ has done,

Claim the free gift, and make the joy thine own;

No more by pangs of guilt and fear distrest. Rest, sweetly rest!

To rest in Christ is be rested. The rest of faith brings the restedness of blessing.

Christ the Rise or Fall of all.

"This Child is set for the falling and rising again of many" {Luke n:34).

Trapp says, "Nothing so cold as lead, yet nothing so scalding if molten; nothing more blunt than iron, and yet nothing so keen if sharpened; the air is soft and tender, yet out of it are engendered thunderings and lightnings ; the sea is calm and smooth, but if tossed with tempests it is rough beyond measure. Thus it is that mercy abused turns to fury ; God, as He is a God of mercies, so He is a God of judgment ; and it is a fearful thing to fall into His punishing hands. He is loath to strike; but when He strikes, He strikes home. If His wrath be kindled but a little, yea, but a little, woe be to all those upon whom it lights ; how much more when He is sore displeased with a people or a person ?"

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

Christ is one of two things i^ all. He is either the Stone

on which we are broken to penitence and salvation, or

He is the Stone to grind in pieces to punishment and

condemnation (Luke xx:i8). The pillar of cloud was light to Israel and darkness to the

Egyptians (Ex. xiv:2o). The .ways of the Lord are to walk in for our blessing,

or ways to stumble in to our hurt (Hosea xivig). God is a Consuming Fire to purify His people (Mai. iii:3).

and a Burning Fire to scorch His enemies (Mai. iv:i-6). Christ is life to those who receive Him (John iii:36), while

He is wrath to those who reject Him (Rev. vi:i6). Christ is the Chief Corner Stone to those who rest on Him

in faith for salvation (i Pet. ii:6), while He is a Stone

of Stumbling to those who will not have Him (i Pet.

ii:8). .. ^ ^.,

Christ is precious to those who beheve (i Pet. 11:7), while

He is despised by those who neglect Him (Isa. 1111:3)- When Christ comes He brings eternal rest for His people,

but He gives eternal destruction to those who have not

obeyed the gospel (2 Thess. i:6-8). Has not all this a voice for us? Offended mercy is very

wroth.

Men's misconceptions of truth arise from a misappre- hension of Christ. If we would know the truth about Him, we must know Him about Whom the truth speaks.

Christ: Tlie Sin-Bearer.

"He bore our sins" (i Pet. ii:24).

A missionary in charge of one of the native Churches in China, was examining- a number of candi- dates for Christian baptism. After having put sun- dry questions to a woman who had apphed foi" Church membership, he asked, ''Had Jesus sin?' (This is one of the questions in the Catechism, which enquirers are en- couraged to learn. The book, of course, gives a negative answer.) Somewhat to the missionary's astonishment, she replied, ''Yes." The question was repeated in a way

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

likely to elicit a negative reply, but she answered em- phatically, "He had sin." The candidate was next asked if he (the examiner) had sin, to which she rather hesi- tatingly replied, "No." The missionary soon put her right on that point, and further asked how it came about that Jesus, the great living God of heaven, could have sin. "Why, He had mine!" was the unhesitating reply. I fancy that our friend, just won from heathenism, was a deeper theologian than the missionary at first thought. True, she could not read her Bible, but she knew that "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all," and that He "bare our sins in His own body on the tree."

"Yes, all the griefs He felt were ours,

Ours were the woes He bore ; Pangs, not His own. His spotless soul

With bitter anguish tore.

"He died to bear the guilt of men,

That sin might be forgiven ; He lives to bless them, and defend.

And plead their cause in heaven."

(i) Declaration. — "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures" (i Cor. xv:3).

(2) Consternation. — "Our sins testify against us" (Is. ]ix:i2). See also Neh. ix:37; Dan. ix:i6.

(3) Propitiation. — "Propitiation for our sins" (i John li :2).

(4) Manifestation. — "He was manifested to take away our sins" (i John iii:5).

(5) Identification. — "When He had by Himself, or for Himself (representatively), purged our sins" (Heb. i:3).

(6) Emancipation. — "Loosed us from our sins by His own blood" (Rev: 1:5, R. V.).

(7) Separation. — "Gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil world" (Gal. i:4).

Relying on the finished work of Christ we are safe, responding to His Word \we are sure, and resting in His will we are happy.

54

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. Christ, the Unchang'ing' One.

"Jesus Christ the same" (Heb. xiii:S).

An incident was related by Schuyler Colfax regarding Abraham Lincoln. It was during the dark days of 1863, on the evening of a public reception given at the White House. The foreign legations were there gathered about the President.

A young English nobleman was just being presented to the President. Inside the door, evidently overawed by the splendid assemblage, was an honest-faced old farmer, who shrank from the passing crowd until he and the plain faced old lady, clinging to his arm, were pressed back to the wall. The President, looking over the heads of the assembly, said to the English nobleman: ''Excuse me, my lord, there's an old friend of mine."

Passing backward to the door, Mr. Lincoln said, as he grasped the old farmer's hand : "Why, John, I'm glad to see you. I haven't seen you since you and I made rails

for old Mrs. , in Sangamon county, in 1847. How are

you ?"

The old man turned to his wife with quivering lips, and without replying to the President's salutation, said: "Mother, he's just the same old Abe!"

So say we of Christ.

'His love is the same, for it is "everlasting" (Jer. xxxi:3). His keeping is the same, for it is constant (i Pet. i:5). His power is the same, for it is enduring (Heb. xiii:5). His ministry is the same, for "He ever livcth" (Heb. vii:25). His pleasures are the same, for they are lasting (Ps. xvi:ii). His promises are the same, for they are sure (2 Cor. i:2o). He Himself is the same, for He is immutable (Mai. iii:6).

The Best Way to look at God's dark providences is to look through them, and see the bright and sympathetic Face of the watching Friend on the other side.

55

PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES. Clouds.

"The clouds are the dust of His feet" (Nahum i:^).

Clouds and no sunshine are good for cyclists. There were not more than five or six hours of sunshine during the time I was cycling to London. The heavens were overshadowed with clouds, and yet there was only one sharp and short shower. The cloudiness of the weather had its distinct advantages, for there is nothing so fatigu- ing as the sun scorching down upon one when cycling. There are many angel faces seen in the clouds, as the ar- tist realized when he painted the famous picture entitled *'Cloudland," which seems at first sight to be only a mass of clouds, but on closer observation, angel faces are seen looking out upon you. The following are a few of the things which we may find in the clouds of life.

(i) The bow of promise (Gen. ix:i3);

(2) The glory of the Lord's presence (Ex. xvi:io);

(3) The rain of His blessing (i Kings xviii 144) ;

(4) The covering of His protection (Ps. cv:39);

(5) The strength of His power (Ps. lxviii:34) ;

(6) The dew of His grace (Prov. iii :2o) ;

(7) And the word of His testimony (Ps. xcix:7; Matt. xvii:5).

********

Clouds are not clogs to hinder us, they are bringers of showers to bless us.

Commendation's Ministry.

"I praise you" (i Cor. xi:2).

'Tn those books, Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch and Lovey Mary, I find a woman who always wore the garment of praise. Mrs. Wiggs went about seeking to eulogise, embodying the very spirit of her Master. When Lovey Mary was leaving the Cabbage Patch, she said, *You all bluffed me into being good. You began to

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

brag about me, and then I wanted to be good more than anything in the world.' Mrs. Wiggs had done it. And she did it also with her children. T have always found compliments better than switches.' "

The Apostle Paul often found it essential to rebuke the saints, but he was never forgetful to remember their good points.

He could "thank God" that the "faith" of the saints in Rome was "spoken of" (Rom. i :8) ;

He appreciated the fact that the saints in Corinth came "behind in no gift," and were found "waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus" (i Cor. I'.j) ;

Although Paul had sharp words to say to the Galatian saints because of their legal spirit, he none the less recognized they "did run well" (Gal. v:7) ;

He thanked God for the "fellowship in the gospel" of the saints at Philippi, and was confident of their continu- ance, and was encouraged by their prayers (Phil. i:3-6, 19) ;

He could praise God because he had "heard of the "faith in Christ" of the Lord's people at Colosse, and of their "love to all the saints" (Col. 1:4) ;

His thankfulness is most pronounced as he contemplates "the work of faith, the labor of love, and patience of hope" of the Thessalonian believers (i Thess. i:3);

And he was moved and grateful for Timothy's sympathetic "tears," and for Philemon's "prayer" (2 Tim. i:4;

Philemon 22).

To be an encourager of God's saints is to be a helper indeed and in need, but to be a damper to discourage His people is to join hands with him who ever seeks to hinder the saints.

Concentration.

"This one thing" {Phil. 111:8-14).

Mr. Spurgeon once related how in going through the famous factory at Sevres he noticed an artist painting a very beautiful vase. He says: "I looked at him, but he

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PEARLS, POINTS AND PARABLES.

did not look at me. His eyes were bette